Savior
by Michael Fetter
Summary: Ranma seeks to avenge the world that had been lost.
1. chapter one

Disclaimer: Um . . . look over there!

. . .

All right. I think the owners of Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon, and Dragonball Z are gone. This is another one of my fun fanfics. Enjoy.

**__**

Savior

Chapter One

By Michael Fetter

It could have been lightning and thunder the way it lit up the night. But the enemy outside was powerful and Ranma knew that was not a storm. The pigtailed man looked at nothing as he concentrated on the powers fighting outside. For sixteen years he had been forced to grow in strength in order to protect his family. When the last of them had fallen Ranma grew stronger to protect his friends. Now they too were dying off and Ranma was left with a feeling of hollowness. They had come to him for help and he had failed.

They were holed up in the basement of a relatively untouched building. Washuu needed somewhere to repair the damage done to Setsunna's Time Staff, but it wasn't easy while they were being pursued. A number of times Ranma or one of the other fighters would have to go out and draw the invaders' fire to protect the location of the makeshift lab. A number of friends had already been sacrificed in the hopes that Setsunna's plan to save the world would work out. Tenchi was outside now, Ranma could feel the power coming from the Wings of the Light Hawk being used like a defensive shield while blast after blast of energy were launched at it.

The redheaded scientist was finished with the repairs finally. Her face smudged with dirt, Washuu stared hopefully at Ranma as she explained what they were about to do. "Do you understand, Ranma?"

There was talk of time streams, paradoxes, destruction of the world, and while he knew these things were bad, in some way, it had mostly gone above his head. "Not really."

Washuu smirked a little bit. She thought his naivete was cute, but she and the others were counting on him too much to let it distract her. She tried again more simply. "When we send you back there will already be a Ranma Saotome on the earth. If you two ever came in contact it would cause a paradox. It could be anything from both of your deaths to the end of existence."

Ranma got it that time. "That sounds bad."

"Very," Washuu agreed. "But your cursed form does not exist in the past before a certain time."

"Jusenkyou."

"Exactly." She tried showing him a supportive smile, but the effect was lost when she shuddered as a new wave of attacks rocked the building. Washuu glanced at the woman resting on the floor and then back. "The part you're not going to like is that you will have to remain in your cursed form. Forever."

She was right. Ranma didn't like that, but he was beyond caring. If the permanent loss of his manhood was what it took to rescue not only his friends but also the rest of humanity, he would do it. "Otherwise the world might explode."

"Precisely."

"Let's do it."

Washuu nodded and looked to the woman on the floor. "Good. Tsunami?"

Ranma walked over to the woman's side and knelt so she could reach his hand. The Jurian Goddess looked withered; the energy drained from her body caused her cheeks to sink. It had been her hope a forced transformation would allow her to save Princess Ayeka and Ryouko, but her powers had failed, Sasami was not ready to channel so much energy. The woman smiled as much as she could and placed her hand over Ranma's. "Good luck, Ranma-chan."

Ranma felt the change as the goddess forced the transformation and then dispersed the magic that would allow him to return to his original form. When he opened his eyes again Ranma could see the red bangs and swept them out of her way. Tsunami's hand felt light and Ranma saw that it was fading. "Tsunami? Sasami?" Ranma clenched her jaw as the goddess disappeared forever. She stood and looked at the two other women in the room. Ryo-oh-ki looked miserable in Washuu's arms, mirroring the expression on her partner's mother. "What will happen to you?"

Setsunna stepped forward with the repaired Time Staff in her hands. "I only have enough power to make this a one way trip, Ranma. I have to try and reduce your disruption of the timeline so I'll be sending you to just before you enter Jusenkyou. That will give you about two years to prepare everyone."

"I've made a separate identity for you. Just find my past self and have her enter the information." Ranma pocketed the data strip she handed to the cursed martial artist. Hugging Ranma quickly, Washuu stepped back to allow Setsunna to do her part. "Good luck, Ranma."

Setsunna's gloved hand stroked Ranma's cheek. "My love goes with you, husband."

They kissed. Ranma stared into the woman's eyes as the energy left her Time Staff to rush over her body. "I will always love you, wife."

With the last vestiges of magical light fading, the two women were left alone in the dark. Washuu held up the cabbit to look into its sad eyes. "Ryo-oh-ki, it's time to leave." 

The cabbit mewled pitifully and then leapt through the wall to turn into its secondary form. Washuu and Setsunna disappeared from the basement and reappeared on the bridge of the Ryo-oh-ki. Tenchi in full Jurian battle dress appeared a second later. He quickly doused his sword and looked about, finding only the two women.

With a deep sigh, Tenchi sat down, resting his back against a nearby wall. "Finished?"

"Yes, Tenchi," Washuu responded.

"I hope Ranma succeeds." Tenchi turned his head to take one last look at the planet that had been his home. "Goodbye everyone."

Standing quietly near the large view screen beside Washuu at the controls, Setsunna stared at blankly into space, her face as unreadable as the day the Moon Kingdom fell.

*~*~*

Jusenkyou, sixteen years earlier . . .

"We head home after this one, right pops?" Ranma Saotome, a cocky sixteen year old boy with visions of being the best martial artist in the world was finally finishing up a ten year training trip with his father. He followed his Genma through the wilds of China to what would be their final training area before returning to Japan. While Ranma didn't mind training, he was getting tired of living in near starvation. 

"Yes, boy." Genma took a glance at his son, wondering when he should say something about what awaited the boy back in Japan. He thought of telling Ranma before, let the boy get used to the idea, but then thought the surprise technique would work best. "After this it will be time for you to return and prove your-Urk!"

The foot Genma had tripped over pulled back as a red-haired woman that looked to be in her early thirties stepped into view. She wore a black bodysuit that left little to the imagination and was not helped at all by the numerous rips. She smirked at the fallen man, "Genma Saotome?"

Ranma had to laugh. "Yer gettin sloppy, pops, if some girl can trip you."

The woman turned her attention to him. Ranma squirmed a bit as she seemed to be assessing him for some reason. She grimaced slightly at what she saw. "I forgot how weak you were at this age." Ranma was about to protest when the woman waved her hand dismissively. "Nothing some real training couldn't fix."

Eyes narrowed, Ranma puffed out his chest and struck it with his fist. "Hey! I'm the best!"

On the ground, Genma finally sat up as it seemed the woman was not a mother of one of the children he had engaged Ranma to. He stood up and brushed the dirt from his gi. "Have we met before?"

"In a way," the woman answered and turned to Ranma again. "Ranma, you should forget about Genma. He's a liar and a thief."

Ranma snorted. "I coulda told ya that."

Time to drop one of the bombs, the woman continued, "But did you know he had engaged you to eleven different girls? Sometimes just for a plate of food?"

"WHAT?!"

Genma made a show of looking disgusted and jumped into the woman's face. "Now that's a lie! There were only ten engagements!"

Rocking back a bit on her heals to avoid the smell of Genma's breath, the woman smiled maliciously. "One of them was to twins."

Genma thought a moment and then conceded the point. "Oh yeah."

"Oh yeah?" Genma seemed to have forgotten his son was in hearing distance. Ranma was looking red in the face with a vein sticking out on his forehead. "OH YEAH?! Is that all you have to say, you fat old man?!"

"Make this quick, Ranma. We have other people to get in touch with before your real training can begin," the woman said. It was like a green light flashed in Ranma's eyes and he charged his father with fists clenched.

"Now, boy," Genma held up his hands, already knowing the result of a fight with an enraged son. Ranma seemed to almost loom over Genma as his battle aura surged like a wildfire about his body. ". . . help?"

The woman sat beside Ranma's pack and watched as the boy swiftly placed a bruise on every one of Genma's vital points that led to screams one usually expected to hear from a girl. When it was over Ranma was patting his hands, his father a heap of twisted limbs on the ground. The redhead handed Ranma his backpack. "Feeling better?"

Ranma blinked at the woman who could lift his heavy pack so easily, but tossed the thought aside as he regarded the lump that was his father. "Oh, that felt good." He nodded to the woman and bowed. "Thanks for warnin me bout that marriage stuff, by the way. I'm Ranma Saotome."

"You can call me Ranko Meiou, and there's plenty more Genma did to you," she said, returning the bow. A bit of sadness entered her eyes when she mentioned her name, but it was pushed aside. If Ranko succeeded then Setsunna would not die and that was worth any price.

Ranma's anger was rising again as he glared at the quivering mass. "Watcha mean?"

Ranko nodded to the springs a few meters down the trail Ranma and his father had been taking. "This training ground he was taking you to is cursed."

"Huh?"

Ranko walked over to Genma. "Had you gone to Jusenkyou you would have been cursed to change forms for the rest of your life." Lifting her foot, Ranko punted the man into the training grounds. "Observe."

Flying through the air must have torn Genma's attention from the pain his body was in. "Aaahhh!" Splash! A battered, bruised, and bleeding panda broke the surface of the spring. "Growf growf growf!"

Like clockwork, the Jusenkyou guide appeared a moment too late. "Aiyah, poor Mr. Customer, you punted into Spring of Drowned Panda. Tragic story of panda who drown in spring seven hundred years ago."

Ranko hadn't been aiming for any pool, but she smirked at the results. "Must have been fate."

Smiling broadly, Ranma laughed at his father. "Shut it, old man! Ain't like you don't deserve it!" He regarded the woman with more respect than he'd shown anyone else before. "So, uh, Meiou-san, how come yer helpin me out?"

The woman's smile dropped. "I need you and several other fighters to help me save the world."

". . ." He might have thought the woman crazy, but Ranma decided to give her the benefit of the doubt for what she'd done for him already. Smirking cockily he said, "Well you came to the right place. I'm the best after all. Ain't no one gonna beat Ranma Saotome!"

"You will have to forget about going home for about two years. This enemy is powerful beyond anything you have ever seen. I will train you as best I can."

Ranma scoffed. Everyone knew girls were weak and stupid. "I don't need trainin from some girl." Ranko had raised her hand in the direction of a distant mountain and Ranma's eyes went wide as he saw an energy ball grow in front of her. "What the?!"

"HA!" The energy screamed as it left Ranko's hand to impact with the distant mountain. She turned back to Ranma, already knowing the results. "That should take care of Saffron." She found it amusing the way Ranma's jaw hung around his chest. "You were saying?"

The top of the mountain was gone. Actually, Ranma could see bits of it coming down all over the place, but the mountain was definitely half the size it used to be. "Will you teach me to do that?"

Two birds with one ki blast, Ranko thought. She steered him towards a cliff side. "Come on Ranma, I need to catch the next fighter."

Ranma nodded numbly. With that kind of power he would be the best martial artist in the universe. "Sure."

Ranko timed her steps perfectly. After destroying the mountain, she had seen Genma and the guide high tail it out of the area, possibly to never again return. In their panic, both men ran into a fanged boy standing at the top of the cliff. Pushed over, the boy could only think of one thing to say. "Damn you, Ranma! This is all your fau-!"

Fortunately for him, Ranko caught the boy before he fell into one of the pools at the base of the cliff. She smiled at the surprised look on the kid's face. She hadn't seen Ryouga since he had attempted the suicide blast after Akane died nine years ago. "Right on time, P-chan."  
"Huh?" He didn't get the joke, but he did notice he was being held by a smiling woman with obvious 'talent'. "Uh, do you, uh, no me, ma'am?" Ryouga swallowed when he glanced at the form-fitting black bodysuit.

Setting him on his feet, Ranko slapped Ryouga lightly on the shoulder. It was best to be blunt with Ryouga. "You're coming with me from now on."

"O-Okay." Whatever Ryouga had been thinking suddenly caused him to pass out with a trickle of blood running out of his nose. 

Sighing, Ranko dropped him on the ground. "What a dope."

Ranma was busy looking at the boy, trying to place the familiar face.

*~*~*

Ranko sighed at the slightly miserable state Ranma and Ryouga had worked themselves into. After regaining consciousness, Ryouga had zeroed in on Ranma and sought his duel of honor. Of course, after that was over Ryouga was at a loss for where to go from there. He was used to getting lost and now his fight with Ranma was over. Following Ranko became just as good an idea as any. It helped that he would be saving the world. 

Ranma cradled his cheek where Ryouga had gotten in a good hit. The fight had been rather fun and he was looking forward to having Ryouga as a sparring partner again. He'd won the duel of course, but it had certainly been tough.

With a hand on Ryouga's shoulder to keep him heading in one direction, Ranko guided them towards the Amazon village where she would find her next fighter. So far things were going just as she and Setsunna had planned.

The gates to the Amazon village were open for the annual tournament. Up on the challenge log were two women, one a tall brutish girl with a large sword, and the other was lithe and graceful with long purple hair hanging down her back.

Upon reflection, Ranma and Ryouga's sad state would probably be looked upon favorably by the Amazons since they were in Ranko's 'control'. A strong woman with two submissive looking males might be worthy of some immediate respect.

"Where are we?" Ranma asked as he followed Ranko into the village. There were women all around wearing light clothes and the occasional piece of armor. Most were fit like warriors and it brought a confused looking smirk to his face. Women fighters? 

Ranko waited for the fight to end before seeking her next companion. She made sure to leave a hand on Ryouga's shoulder to keep him from wandering off. Ranko had thought of a leash, but it just wouldn't work without a spiked collar. "Amazon village. Don't fight anyone. You wouldn't like it," she answered.

Ranma frowned, but he wasn't looking to fight a girl anyway. There was something he found interesting though. Sitting near the fighting area was a large table, a sign flapping in the wind overhead. "Food." Salivating from the sight of such a large feast, Ranma barely noticed when his feet starting heading towards the big table. 

Ranko dropped her fist over the back of Ranma's head and sent him to the ground. "Didn't I just say not to fight with anyone?"

"Hey! I was just gonna get sumthin ta eat. I'm starvin!" said the boy.

Shaking her head, Ranko picked him back up. "Eating the first prize would be just as good as challenging the village champion."

Ranma looked like he wanted to protest, but Ranko's glare quelled the rebellion and he pouted.

"Your men are lucky to have such an observant woman leading them."

Ranko recognized the voice and turned to the old woman balanced upon her cane. To most she looked like a raisin on a stick, but Ranko knew her to be great martial artist and repository of secret techniques. Bowing, she said, "Matriarch Cologne, I have come to speak with you of urgent matters."

"Indeed." The old woman arched a thin eyebrow and looked over the three Japanese. "What sort of urgent matters, miss . . ."

"Ranko Meiou," she said. "This world is next in a list of conquest by powerful alien fighters unless I can assemble a group of the best fighters in the world to defend it."

Others were beginning to notice the conversation and a small circle was formed. The cheering died down as the purple-haired girl helped her opponent off of the ground.

Cologne tried to get a sense for the outsider's aura, but she found it masked to near invisibility. That said much of the redhead's skill. "Do you have some proof of this claim?"

Actually, Ranko hadn't brought much with her and what she did have Cologne wouldn't recognize or care about. She was still wandering around in just the armored bodysuit she'd taken off of one of the invaders, but that was it. "I am from sixteen years in the future where the world as you know it is a wasteland. Most of the world's population has been slaughtered or sold to other worlds."

"Or you are crazy," added the old woman.

Ranko frowned and then looked about the snickering crowd of Amazons. Ranma and Ryouga had remained quiet, possibly thinking the same thing as the old woman. "I don't think we should be talking about this in the open." She brightened, "But if you want more proof I could show you a series of Amazon techniques that you taught me."

"No outsiders are allowed to know our secret techniques. If what you say is true then you should be killed."

There was just no winning with the Amazons, Ranko grumbled. "I don't have a lot of time to waste, Cologne. What can I do to prove I'm telling the truth?" A little heat had crept into her voice and a spark of red flames flickered over her shoulder. 

Cologne noticed the slight release of control and studied the redhead again. "Your aura is rather powerful even with the amount you are concealing. Were you the one to destroy Jusendo the day before?"

The crowd was whispering now. Some put their hands over the hilts of their swords.

"Yes." Ranko smirked. "In about a year Saffron would have tried to ascend to his full strength and I thought it might be best to remove his distraction now rather than deal with it later." She finally noticed the crowd and the way Cologne shifted very slightly beneath her robes. "I am not threatening your village, Matriarch. If you refuse to help then I will not force you. It's understandable to be frightened when facing someone that I have yet to even draw even against."

Cologne smirked, seeing through Ranko's barb to hold back her anger. To even suggest the Amazons were weak was suicide, but for someone as powerful as Ranko that remained to be seen. "If you are from the future, who did you have in mind for defending the world?"

"You, Matriarch."

Cologne's grin widened at that. "Why not our village champion?"

"I know Shampoo as well." Ranko leveled a glare on the young girl. She felt like spitting in the purple-haired girl's face. She sneered, "I also know she will never amount to anything in her little life. Your great granddaughter won't be able to learn even the most basic of your advanced Amazon techniques. But you already know this."

The village champion turned red in the face and stormed up to the redhead with her bonbori drawn. "Shampoo challenge outsider!"

Shampoo was sent flying into the challenge log as Ranko's aura surged forth and she barked, "BE QUIET, GIRL!" Given a moment, Ranko reigned in her power and returned to Cologne. "Your warriors are good, but it takes a special type of person to be among the best."

"And these two are among the best?" Cologne's gaze fell upon the two boys who had accompanied Ranko.

"Yes," she nodded.

The crowd was tense, waiting for the matriarch to give them an order. Cologne silently studied Ranko for a long moment before coming to a decision. "What do you need of me?"

A thankful smile, Ranko nodded at the old woman's acceptance. "I will train you to hopefully become stronger than I am now and I will need you to help me train the others."

"I may be too old for this," said Cologne with a tired grin.

Ranko reached for a golden light that responded to her command and pulled out a casket. She'd taken it from the guide's hut to pick up a little water from the only other spring in Jusenkyou she knew. "I know. You will die of old age in a little less than two years." Handing the casket to Cologne, she said, "Take this. I believe you have some permanence water already."

Cologne examined the casket seriously. "Do you know what you are asking of me?"

"Yes." Ranma and Ryouga shuffled uncomfortably as the crowd around them also became silent, not even a hushed whisper could be heard. Ranko clenched the muscle in her jaw. "I'm sorry, grandmother, but I need your help."

"I will return in a moment." Cologne hopped to her hut and let the door close behind her. 

Ranma appeared at Ranko's side and glanced warily at the crowd. "What's going on?"

Ranko didn't respond immediately. When Cologne's door opened again there was a young woman in her mid-twenties. She had the same eyes as Cologne, but the aged silver hair had regained its youthful, purple bounce. Rather than being draped in a robe the girl was now filling out an old Amazon warrior's uniform. 

Every Amazon turned their back to the old woman as she passed. Another elder grabbed Shampoo's elbow to force her to look away.

"Cologne has been cast out of the Amazons for using Jusenkyou for personal gain." Ranko caught Cologne's solemn countenance that warred between a youthful appearance and wizened emotions. "I'm sorry."

Cologne just walked by quietly without looking back at what had been her home for the better of three hundred years.

*~*~*

Ranma and Ryouga's training began immediately. Ranko didn't want to slow down their progress too much so they were kept to training they could do on the road. Both were sitting before a fire, provided by a quick blast of Ranko's ki, trying to pull out a dozen chestnuts. Besides the regular drill the boys were competing against each other to see who could grab the most chestnuts. 

Both were nursing burnt hands and glaring at the other.

Cologne showed off the technique once again and then headed for where Ranko was sitting and watching. She hadn't spoken much since leaving her village. Ranko thought there might be tears, but Cologne was actually looking better on her own. Perhaps the old woman had dreamt of leaving the village someday. Sighing, Cologne put her back against the fallen tree Ranko was using and started rubbing her new, young feet. "They are good, but I don't know if they are the best."

Ranko watched the two boys grit their teeth as they tried to learn the technique again. After only two days they were both a good deal faster and Ranma seemed close to mastering the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken. "Ranma learns quickly. In the original time line he progressed enough in one year to defeat the transformed Saffron. Ryouga will not be far behind him."

Blinking, Cologne looked at the pigtailed boy again in wonder. She could see he was good, but that good? Ranko had her hair done up in a similar fashion, Cologne noticed, and the redhead seemed particularly expectant of Ranma. "You have some attachment with the boy?"

"He's the best."

Ranko had said it so evenly that Cologne was lost in how to take such a statement. Grimacing, she noted again how much more powerful Ranko was compared to the rest of them. "How powerful is our enemy?"

Ranko took a moment to answer that one. "The strongest is about ten times stronger than I am by Washuu's best estimate."

Cologne sucked in a breath and the two boys had paused in their training to look at Ranko incredulously. Swallowing the sudden nervousness away, Cologne asked, "Washuu?" 

"Another woman who will be joining our team." Ranko's eyes went to the trees briefly before she got up to clean the rabbits they'd caught along the way. She spoke without looking at Cologne. "Get rid of them. I don't need weaklings like them getting in the way of training, and I won't hesitate to kill her."

Cologne didn't have to ask whom Ranko was talking about as a pair of Amazons ran along the trail in their direction. "It was because of you that I was forced to leave my village." Shampoo and Mousse were just entering the campsite. "I would like to bring Shampoo along."

Growling, Ranko continued on her way, not looking at the Amazons. "Keep them on a short leash."

*~*~*

Probably to keep Ranko appeased, the two Amazons started taking care of catching the food and cooking it. She added them to the training program when Ranma mastered the chestnuts roasting over an open fire technique in three days while Ryouga was still working at it. The Lost Boy was now tethered to someone by one of Mousse's chains at all times. 

A week later Ryouga had finished his training. He was slightly slower than Ranma, but then Ryouga only had Shampoo and Mousse to compete against most of the time. Neither Amazon got close to succeeding in anything but burning their hands. 

Now tethered to one another and carrying heavy boulders, Ranma, Ryouga, Shampoo, and Mousse were running for their lives as they were chased by a pack of wolves. The scent of rabbit blood on their clothes was making the beasts very persistent. Fortunately there was an ocean only a few more miles away where a nice swim would wash them off.

Ranko flew along lazily as she watched the teens. Cologne was resting on Ranko's back after a strenuous half-hour of forcing her ki to keep her afloat. The redhead caught Ryouga sprinting off perpendicular to the group and he was starting to pull the others along. "Focus, Ryouga! You're slowing them all down!"

"Is there a point to this exercise?" Cologne questioned tiredly as she peered at the ground over Ranko's shoulder. She felt wasted from her own training and could only wonder at the strength Ranko displayed, flying and carrying them both.

"Besides the cardiovascular?" Ranko chuckled. "Ryouga has a terrible sense of direction. I've seen him get lost trying to walk down an alley. Hopefully forcing him to pay attention to the people around him rather than just the surroundings will help him focus." Mousse suddenly ran on the opposite side of a tree than the others and got everyone tangled up. The wolves caught up quickly. "And it'll inspire a little more teamwork."

The teens fought off the wolves for a moment until they got themselves unraveled and could run again. Not discouraged in the least, the wolves also continued the pursuit. 

They made the sea in ten minutes and dove straight into the water. The wolves paused at the bank, but when it became apparent their prey was not returning to the beach they howled and disappeared into the trees. 

Swimming to Japan while carrying the boulders got Ranko a round of miserable whimpers that she ignored. Cologne had regained enough of her ki to speak again.

"What does our enemy want?"

Ranko could still see the people beaten of their wills and bound to one another. Cities leveled, the sky darkened with smoke, Ranko wanted it to be a nightmare, but it was there, just beyond her vision. "Profit," she growled and flew ahead of the teens.

"Where will they attack first?"

"Japan." The cold sea breeze flipped through Ranko's hair as she flew. "To prove their strength they will destroy a few cities and demand immediate surrender. When that doesn't happen they will wipe out most of Asia."

Resting her cheek against Ranko's shoulder, Cologne looked out to the horizon and found the sun melting against the sea. "Was there someone special?"

The silence seemed as endless as the water. Shrugging her shoulders, Ranko tossed Cologne off her back and continued on ahead. "Start practicing your flying again."

Cologne bobbed in the air, her feet brushing the waves though she strained to return to the sky.

*~*~*

The world was a different place before the war came. Ranko hadn't been able to spend much time by the sea in her world. The smell of the sea was not outdone by pollution here and none of the sand had been superheated into glass by ki attacks. 

Ranko sat for long hours on the beach, her eyes closed, just listening to the fall of waves caressing the shore. Water brushed her bare feet and the sand crept between her toes. She wished Setsunna were here to enjoy it with her.

Opening her eyes, Ranko found Cologne crawling out of the water, most of her strength spent in the exercise.

"How are you feeling?" Ranko grabbed the woman's arm and helped her out of the water.

Cologne flopped onto the sand, her breath coming fast and hard. "Tired."

Ranko nodded and let the woman rest for a while. It would be some hours before the rest of the group showed up. She could feel them in the distance and could tell by the feel of their auras that two were on their last legs. 

Cologne fell asleep with her face in the sand. Ranko considered carrying her off somewhere like a bench, but something better found her.

When the teens were close, Ranko shook Cologne's shoulder. Brown eyes wearily searched for the cause of her disturbance and found Ranko's amused smile. The redhead pulled a strange transparent strip from her clothes and handed it to Cologne. "Take this," said Ranko. "When the kids get to shore I want you to take them to this address and give the data strip to a redhead named Washuu."

"What is it?" Her mind was a bit fuzzy, but she thought it looked like a pink piece of plastic.

"Instruction and a letter from the Washuu of my time to make sure I have her cooperation."

Cologne nodded and tucked the thin data strip into her sleeve. She finally noticed that she wasn't lying on the sand anymore, but a rather lumpy fur mattress. Looking closer, Cologne found the mattress was breathing and there was a bruise over its head. Cologne chose not to ask where the panda came from and stood up to stretch out her muscles.

A few minutes later, Ranma and Ryouga came strolling out of the sea with an Amazon on each of their backs. Ranko smirked. "What happened to them?"

"They got tired three-fourths of the way here," Ranma replied, obviously annoyed. He noted the panda Cologne was leaning against. "What's with my pops?"

Ranko snorted. "The fool must have run here all the way from Jusenkyou before remembering he left you behind. I'm going to have to take you to the Tendou dojo or he's just going to keep pestering us. The rest of you go with Cologne and we'll meet up with you later."

Ranma blinked as Ranko started heading for Nerima. He supposed it didn't matter if they left Genma here since he'd show up at the Tendou's anyway. 

Ryouga was caught in indecision as he watched Cologne and the Amazons heading to the right and Ranko and Ranma heading left. He'd heard of all the engagements Ranma had and that had only added to the list of bad qualities. Leaving Ranma alone with Ranko wasn't good. "I'm coming with you, Meiou-san," Ryouga called out suddenly and walked in the right direction. When he caught up he sneered at Ranma. "Who knows what this pervert will try when you're alone."

"What the heck is that supposed ta mean?!" Ranma glared at his 'friend'.

"That you're a dishonorable coward!" Ryouga shot back.

Sighing, Ranko smacked the lost boy on the back of the head. "Knock it off, Ryouga." She grabbed his neck to keep him in line. "If you want to come, come, but keep your arguments to yourself. I'll take care of myself if either one of you gets fresh with me."

They started heading into the closest town. Ranko was letting them walk to regain some strength before she made them run again. Ranma worked through his nervousness to ask, "So, uh, what's at the Tendou dojo?" He already had an idea.

"The other family that practices the Anything Goes style. Genma was going to try and marry you off to one of the daughters so he could have an easy life."

Ranma groaned. "Do you know what they're like?"

"The one who would become your fiancée is an insanely jealous, violent, man-hater. Though she's the heir to the Tendou dojo she doesn't have half your skill or speed." Ranko felt a little melancholy, but shoved it aside and kept walking. "Most of the time she'll be trying to hit you over the head with her mallet just for opening your mouth."

Ryouga smirked. "She sounds perfect for you, Ranma."

*~*~*

"Let me handle this and you keep a handle on that panda."

As expected, Genma caught up with them on the way to the Tendou dojo. He tried once again to remove Ranko from the picture, but the effort was thwarted without a thought. Ranma had asked when his father had come up with an invisibility technique and wouldn't stop asking until Ranko promised to teach him later. She'd been planning to since it had kept her alive for sixteen years. The Umisenken seemed to have been developed for sneaking around unbelievably powerful opponents.

At the moment Ranko, Ranma, and Ryouga were standing outside the Tendou dojo. Both boys had a grip on the panda's arms in case he tried anything funny. That wasn't likely with the sizable bruise Ranko added to his head alongside of the others. The dojo itself wasn't too bad looking for a private affair. It was built alongside of a two-story home and a large main gate surrounding the property.

Ranko led them up to the front door and knocked.

"This is a matter of family honor. Shouldn't I at least-"

It seemed without the curse that Ranma wasn't too opposed to see whom he might be engaged to. Ranko might have let him be, but she needed his focus. "When the world is not in danger I won't stand in your way if you want to come back here, but until then I need your full attention."

That seemed to quell things suitably.

The door opened and a pleasant girl answered. "Hello, may I help you?"

Kasumi was a nineteen-year-old woman with a calm, almost sedated demeanor. Though she was young, Kasumi Tendou was well respected for being a traditional Japanese woman, caring for the family in opposition of her own needs. Simple housedress and apron accompanied the steady smile on her lips. 

Bowing shortly, Ranko spoke for the group. "My name is Ranko Meiou. I need to speak with Soun Tendou about an engagement to Ranma Saotome."

Except for a slightly puzzled look, Kasumi nodded her head and stepped aside. "I'm Kasumi Tendou, won't you come in?" To her credit, and maybe the validity of sedatives, Kasumi didn't blink at the panda the boys dragged in. "I'll go get father."

"She's nice," said Ranma as he watched Kasumi leave them in the anteroom.

"Taken," Ranko said simply. She could see Ryouga's scowl turn into a smug smile.

"He's here?" A man came rushing around the corner to stand before the group. He was a little older than Ranko, long black hair and moustache along with a black gi gave him the look of a wizened martial arts master. The image was slightly dispelled by the tears starting to rush out of his eyes. He pointed at Ranma. "Are you-?"

The boy nodded. "Ranma Saotome."

Ranma couldn't bow as he was suddenly placed in a bear hug as the older man wailed, "Oh, happy day!"

Others were coming into view. Ranko glanced over the sisters, slavers in Ranko's world had caught Nabiki. Akane was at least spared that indignity as she was killed alongside of Ukyou. Soun Tendou had died protecting Kasumi, but could not prevent the ki blast from tearing through his body to hit his eldest daughter behind him. 

Belatedly, Ranko noticed Soun was still holding onto Ranma and crying and Nabiki had come closer to get a look. Reaching out, she grabbed Soun's long hair and pulled him away from Ranma. "Let go of him."

Soun jerked back, but forgot about the whole thing the next instant as he quickly directed everyone to the living room. "Yes, we must discuss the details of the engagement. This way please."

"Growf."

Ranko spared a quick glare for the panda when he roused. They all sat down at the table, Tendou daughters on one side, Soun at the head, and the others opposite of the girls. Akane and Nabiki were eyeing the panda warily, it kept them from making any immediate proclamations over their intended.

Nabiki looked away from the panda long enough to look at Ranko. She didn't look much like a man named Genma Saotome. "Who's this, daddy?"

Soun smiled and sat straighter. "Girls, this is . . . What was your name?"

Smirking, Ranko bowed in her seat. "Ranko Meiou. These are my students Ranma Saotome, Ryouga Hibiki, and their pet panda, Poopie."

"Growf!" Poopie sounded indignantly. 

The boys snickered.

Putting that aside, Soun addressed his daughters. "Today one of you girls is going to get a fiancé and carry on the school!" To Ranma he said, "These are my daughters, Kasumi, nineteen, Nabiki, seventeen, and Akane, sixteen. Choose the one you want and she will be your fiancée."

"What?! I'm not marrying some pervert boy!"

Ranko was slightly surprised by this. Soun must not have warned his daughters ahead of time this time around. Akane's face had turned red as she glared at Ranma and then turned her anger on Ranko. The redhead smiled patronizingly. "Well, don't look at me. I'm not marrying you. There is the panda though."

The boys backed off as Akane went from bewildered to absolutely furious. "Uh . . ." They inched backwards ever so carefully.

Ranko returned to the pleased Soun. "Sorry, Tendou, but I'm actually here to annul the engagement."

"Absolutely not! This is a family matter!" roared Genma into Ranko's face. He shook a kettle in her face.

She turned to the boys with irritation. "I thought I told you to keep a hold of the panda."

"Saotome?" Soun asked, staring at the fat man with steam rising over his head. Forgetting the surprise, Soun quickly stood alongside Genma to glare down at Ranko. "Right! This a matter of family honor! Ranma must marry one of my girls!"

"I challenge you then." Ranko shrugged. She grabbed the kettle out of Genma's hands and chilled the water with her Soul of Ice technique. Poopie returned much to the Tendou's amazement. "If I win then the engagement is annulled without any loss of honor for either family."

Soun's mind was warring between what had happened to Genma and the deal with Ranko. "I won't-"

"As masters of the Anything Goes school you are not allowed to back down from a challenge," Ranko reminded him.

"Then Akane shall-"

"I did not challenge her. I challenged you. If you are too afraid you can concede." She was calmly watching the reaction of the girls as she talked to their father. Kasumi was still Kasumi. Nabiki looked a little undecided as she continued to glance over Ranma speculatively. Akane was-

"How dare you?! I challenge you!" Akane growled, flames of anger rising about her body.

Lazily looking the girl over, Ranko answered, "No." She smacked the panda coming up behind her into the koi pond in the backyard. "I choose my own battles and you aren't worth my time." Ranko looked directly into Soun's eyes. "Well?"

"And if we win?" Nabiki broke in.

It was strange how much maturer Ranko felt in front of the younger version of her family. It was like indulging a child to speak with them. "What do you want?"

Nabiki grinned. "We could use a maid."

Although Ranko knew Nabiki to be a mercenary, her family truly did come first. Ranko could only assume that Nabiki wanted a new person to take care of them so they could survive while Kasumi finally left to find a real life. "Deal." Ranko pulled out a copy of the contract and filled in the condition Nabiki had specified. "You and Ryouga will sign as witnesses after."

Taking the papers, Nabiki looked them over and nodded. "Planning ahead, were you?"

"I thought it might come to this." The fathers and Ranko signed immediately. Ranko stood up and looked over the two fathers. "Shall we?"

Both men, or man and panda, looked at one another. Soun might've had problems with fighting a woman, but not when it concerned the continuation of the schools. Genma found some hot water and then they all headed for the dojo. The Tendou girls and the boys stood to one side of the dojo while Ranko, Soun, and Genma took up positions for the match.

"Kasumi, if you don't mind?" Ranko asked.

"Certainly." Kasumi stepped closer to the fighting area and raised her hand. "Ready? Begin." As her hand dropped Soun rushed forward. Genma took a strange stance and his form became invisible once again.

Ranko jumped Soun's sweep and dodged between his punches. She'd never actually seen the old man fight and wanted to take a look at what was the Tendou School of Anything Goes. There were subtle differences. The Tendou School was a ground-based school that based its philosophy of power on water. The river rushes and flows through its obstacles. It was one of the reasons Akane would never inherit the school, but the dojo. She could never get the basic of her own school's philosophy. 

Where the Tendou School was water, the Saotome School was air. Genma chose to believe in speed over strength that came with water. He was after all a thief at heart.

After sixteen years, Ranko's original discipline was molded into something more useful for her life; she was fire. A flame can be taken anywhere and flow around anything, but it will also burn through the strongest force in time. It was also a little more serious in terms of combat.

"HA!"

The invisible Genma and slow Soun were tossed across the dojo by the force of Ranko's aura. Soun was slow to get up since he had been so long out of practice. Genma bounced back quickly and began using other Forbidden Techniques now that he had already decided to use them. 

Ranko flipped out of the way of a few vacuum blades and caught Genma under the chin with her heel as he was about to land. In the same motion, Ranko grabbed the charging Soun by the head and slammed him into the ground. Pulling her leg back, Ranko found Genma's head was stuck in the ceiling. She waited a few moments, but when neither moved she bowed.

"I believe that is match," said Ranko to the audience. Everyone had their jaws hanging around their chests as they stared at her. Akane's eyes were nearly sparkling with hope. "If you wouldn't mind signing now?"

Ranko kept a hand on Ryouga and followed Nabiki back to the house where the contracts were left.

Kasumi and Akane were still in the dojo a few moments longer as they stared at the two unconscious men. Genma's head finally came free of the ceiling and he collapsed onto the floor beside Soun. "Oh my, she's quite good, isn't she?"

Akane nodded mutely and then left for the house. She caught up with Ranko just as the woman was about to leave the house. "Excuse me, Meiou-sensei?"

Ranko hadn't expected that level of respect from the daughter of the man she'd just beaten so easily. Both boys turned to the girl as well. "Akane?"

Without pause, Akane dropped to the floor in a deep bow with her head touching the floor. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to be your student?"

The muscles in Ranko's back tensed. She did this specifically to make sure Akane was not around when the fighting started. "No."

Akane was about to thank her for accepting when the word caught up with her brain. "What? Why not?!"

Grimacing internally, Ranko continued, "Because you're an undisciplined, ill-trained, prejudiced, foolish student whose only claim to martial arts is an empty dojo." It had hurt Ranko to say it, but she couldn't let Akane come along. With the girl's temper she would be killed in battle again.

Akane's aura was burning about her body once again. She screamed, "How-?! You-!! What gives you the right to say that about me?!"

"I've seen enough to know it is true. I'm not here to train someone for the fun of it. I'm taking students with the potential, determination, and skill to be the absolute best."

Ranma stepped a little in between Akane and his new sensei. "Come on, Ranko. Akane doesn't look that bad and her aura is pretty strong. She could probably be really good with the right training."

"Yeah. She's probably stronger than Ranma," Ryouga added with a toothy grin.

Ranma immediately went on the defensive. "She is not! Ain't no girl better than Ranma Saotome! They're all just weak and stupid."

Ranko's eye twitched. With the group of fighters she was planning on, Ranma would definitely require a change in attitude. She looked over Akane again and wondered how good the girl could be with the proper training. Her aura was strong and she did learn faster than average. Not to mention, Ranko had already seen Ranma blush when he first got a look at Akane. Sighing, she said, "Fine."

"What?" Ranma stared at Ranko for a second before he understood what she'd meant. He started to smile until Ranko continued.

"She's your pet, Ranma. You feed her and leash her. She slows us down and I take it out on you."

That didn't sit too well with him. "W-Wait a minute."

Akane's eye twitched as she glared at Ranma. "P-P-Pet!"

Ranko clapped her hands right in front of Akane's face. "This is training, Akane. You want to be my student then you will listen and do as I say. I get two years with no breaks and if you can stick with it I will turn you into one of the top ten fighters in the world." Her smile quirked. "Better if you can beat Ranma and Ryouga."

"Two years." Akane glanced between Ranko and her sisters. She'd always thought of herself as the best martial artist in Nerima, but to be the best? Could she dare? Akane bowed. "Thank you, sensei."

Letting out a long breath, Ranko gestured towards the stairs. "Pack what clothes you need. I'll be taking care of the rest." As the girl rushed off, Ranko turned to stare at the boys. "Akane is a student now. That means the both of you will be training with her and if I catch you going easy on her I'll turn you into target practice for my ki attacks."

"Ready!" Akane presented herself in a yellow gi and elastic headband. To the boys she looked like a child wanting to play grown-up. 

"Oh man." Ranma's shoulders slumped.

Grabbing the pigtailed boy by the shirt, Ryouga shook him in the air. "Damn you, Ranma! This is all your fault!"

The children carrying heavy packs walked out of the Tendou home. Ranko paused at the door to speak with the other sisters. "I'll make sure Akane checks in with you every so often."

Kasumi still had a smile and bowed to the older woman. "Thank you, Meiou-sensei."

"Kasumi."

"Yes?"

Ranko thought of family first too. "Don't put your heart on hold. You'll regret it later on."

Hopefully Kasumi would understand her meaning before the fighting started.

*~*~*

There are those days when you feel ready to do anything. The sun is brighter, the smell of roses is stronger, and you're ready to tackle some new problems. Cologne rolled her eyes, being young somehow made the world more confrontational. It was like there was a weight pressed down on her chest. 

"Don't worry, Shampoo. That monstrous woman won't harm you while I'm around!"

Cologne shook her head. "Mousse."

"Yes?"

"I am not Shampoo."

"Huh?" Mousse pulled his glasses down with one hand to take a look at the woman he was hanging off of. "Ack!" Mousse somehow jumped straight into Shampoo's arms, smiling nervously at Cologne "You are quite a bit . . . fuller, elder."

Shampoo snorted and dropped a bonbori onto the boy's head. "Stupid Mousse!" Stomping heavily on his stomach, Shampoo followed her mother into a closed off area with two great wooden pillars marking the entrance. There were a few strange marking she couldn't read and assumed it was Japanese. "Great grandmother, why you follow Crazy Woman?"

Cologne felt a little odd about it too. She never trusted someone so much before in her life. There was just something in Ranko, something she believed she could trust and also something she'd been looking for. "I believe she is telling the truth. Her aura was also one of honesty and pain."

"Pain?"

"Like someone who had suffered a great loss." Could it be true, Cologne wondered. Had she in another time felt so sure about someone that she would jeopardize her standing in the Amazons just to have someone to pass her knowledge on to?

Cologne had seen the progress Shampoo had been making and it saddened her to know that her great granddaughter had reached her peak. There had been nothing she could do to give her great granddaughter the motivation to break through whatever wall had been placed in front of her.

The blind boy picked himself and dusted off his robes before following. The lights to one of the wooden pillars lit up. "A strange group that was."

"Yes. Perhaps we should inform Princess Ayeka?" the other asked.

"Yes."

Both faded from sight.

It was a short path to reach the Masaki home. Cologne and her group were approaching the house as two people were coming down to meet them.

The two in question were a young Tenchi Masaki and his conservative alien relative, princess Ayeka. Tenchi was trying to greet the group, but Ayeka continued to pester and grab Tenchi's clothes in an effort to enforce her caring. Irritated, but trying not to show it, Tenchi pried the girl's hands from his shirt again. "I'm sure it's nothing, Miss Ayeka."

Trying to keep her voice from going shrill, Ayeka continued to follow. "But Azaka and Kamidake picked up high energy readings. You should be careful, Lord Tenchi."

The strange stopped being strange when it decided to stay in his house. Tenchi could actually use something to get away from what he now considered routine. "Hi there. I'm Tenchi Masaki. Can I direct you to the shrine?"

Cologne and the Amazons returned Tenchi's bow. She removed the paper Ranko had given her to read the name. "No. We are here to see a," Cologne looked at the paper disconcerted, "Washuu-chan."

"Someone call my name?"

Cologne stared at the rip in space where a young girl with a large mane of red hair stepped out. She wore a lab coat and glasses with the lenses removed, and had begun to take scans of the group with a computer that seemed to be made of light. Cologne ventured, "You are-?"

Washuu perked up and smiled wickedly at Cologne. "Why the greatest scientific genius in the universe, of course!" Her voice sounded nasal, maybe in the effort to be cute. The girl continued to circle the group, tapping at the controls of her light computer. "Let's see now. Bioelectric energy with unique quantum signatures. Nothing too unusual." Washuu passed her scanners over Cologne and various beeps began to sound. "Ah, so you're what my scanners picked up! Higher levels of energy encapsulating a solid matrix of unidentified variable power. Looks a bit like Tsunami, but-"

Cologne wasn't sure what to expect, but she'd assumed Ranko's friend would be a bit older. Perhaps they hadn't met until the young girl was an adult in Ranko's time. Shaking her head, Cologne removed the data strip. "Excuse me, Washuu, but I believe this an urgent matter." 

The girl stopped her scans to stare at her flatly. 

Cologne's shoulders sagged and she amended, "Washuu-chan?"

"Sure!" Washuu snatched up the data strip and began working through the message she had sent herself. Everyone noticed the change in attitude and wondered what the young scientist was reading.

"What is it, Miss Washuu?" Tenchi asked, looking blankly at the scrolling text on Washuu's computer. 

In a normal voice, Washuu answered, "Tenchi, would you mind getting everyone together in the house? This is pretty important."

"If you say so, Washuu."

Ayeka paused to consider going after Tenchi or finding out what was happening from Washuu. A second later she decided pawing the boy was preferable to catching Washuu's scientific curiosity. Once had been more than enough.

A new hole opened up in the air and Washuu took a step inside before glancing back at the stunned Amazons. "I'm going to take care of Ranko's needs and then I'll meet you in the house. We should probably wait for her to arrive before we get started."

"Are we having guests, Tenchi?" Sasami asked as the boy approached the house.

Tenchi shrugged his shoulders at the younger princess with blue hair. "Looks like it, Sasami."

"That's great." The girl turned her freckled cheeks and purple eyes to the guests and bowed. "I'm Sasami, pleased to meet you."

Cologne smiled at the innocence Sasami exuded. "I am Cologne. This is my great granddaughter, Shampoo, and Mousse."

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Tea, please."

"Sure." Sasami disappeared into the kitchen while the guests followed Tenchi to the living room. 

"She is strangely powerful, though the power seems dormant," Cologne mentioned. She was wondering if Ranko was going to be using the girl.

Tenchi nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, uh, you don't say?"

"What's this, Tenchi? Not more girls. Aren't I all the girl you need?"

"Stop it, Ryouko." A new girl jumped into Tenchi's arms, or rather floated about his neck. The boy didn't try half as hard to remove this one however.

Shampoo stared at the scene for only a second before she pulled out both of her bonbori. "Demon!"

Ryouko, a lavender haired woman with yellow eyes like a cat, noted the Amazon lazily. "That's right. What of it?"

"Shampoo kill!"

Ryouko vanished and reappeared a few meters to the left when Shampoo came charging in. 

To the other side the haughty princess Ayeka laughed into her hand. "Seems you can't disguise your true nature from everyone you monster woman."

"Shut it, granny," Ryouko snapped and ducked under Shampoo's bonbori.

Logs passing lightning began to appear about Ayeka as her face turned red with outrage. "How dare you?!"

Stuck in the middle, Tenchi put up his hands in a peaceful, yet nervous, gesture. "Now, now girls, let's not fi-!"

Frustrated from missing her kill yet again, Shampoo smacked Tenchi over the head and sent him into the table. "Stupid boy move out Shampoo way!"

"Tenchi!"

Both girls turned to glare at Shampoo who hadn't the intelligence to know she should be worried. 

An energy sword sprouted out of Ryouko's left hand. She tried to follow Tenchi's rules about not seriously injuring guests, but this, she felt, was justifiable. "You're going to pay for that, little girl."

"I shouldn't have expected much better from a barbarian," Ayeka sneered and fixed her electric logs onto the Amazon.

Blind following the myopic, Mousse jumped into battle. "I'll protect you, Shampoo!"

Cologne watched the fight build up, but felt no need to enter it herself. She sighed at the hotheaded great granddaughter of hers and wondered if she'd ever use for anything but an ornament.

"Here you go."

A cup of warm tea was pressed into her hands and Cologne turned to the young girl and nodded her head. "Thank you, Sasami."

The hallway closet could be seen opening from where Cologne sat. When it closed she could see Washuu walking over to the table to sit down. Another cup of tea found its way into her hands as well. "Where is Ranko now?" she asked of Cologne. 

"She mentioned needing to stop by the Tendou dojo first."

Nodding, Washuu looked to where a small light display was occurring. Mousse was on the ground with a bonbori resting on top of his head. Ayeka seemed to have her own troubles with a length of chain wrapped about her body. Washuu smirked at her daughter and snapped her fingers. "Ryouko, show some manners around mommy's guests."

"Urk!" Face meeting the ground, Ryouko could feel a small stone statue shatter on top of her head.

Cologne reached out when Shampoo was close enough and tapped the girl on the small of her back, sending her straight to the floor, paralyzed. "I don't believe Ranko would appreciate your foolishness right now, great granddaughter."

". . ." went the crowd watching Washuu and Cologne. The two women seemed very alike, frighteningly so.

Washuu smiled and rested her chin in her hand. "Great granddaughter, huh? That must be one hell of face lift."

Cologne answered with a playful smile, "Yes, I feel twenty years old again."

*~*~*

There was another stop they had to make before catching up with Cologne at the Masaki's. Whereas Ryouga was used to being on his own and Akane's family wasn't so far away, Ranma still needed to see his mother before moving on. Ranko didn't deceive herself into thinking that Ranma really had his concentration just on her when the idea of his mother was so close.

While Ranko had gotten to know her mother before, their relationship wasn't what Ranko had intended. Surrounded by the fiancées and enemies there was never enough time to talk. She wondered how it might've been with a better start. 

Ranma adjusted the strap to his backpack and hurried up to Ranko while Akane continued to glare at him. He was uncomfortable around girls just as Ryouga was. Akane was different from Shampoo and Ranko because she became more irritated with things then they would. Maybe this is what a real girl was like. He sighed, "When do we start training?"

"One more stop, Ranma, then we'll head to the Masaki shrine," Ranko answered. Behind them Ranko could sense Ryouga showing off his new move for Akane to show her what sorts of things they had been trained to do so far.

Akane watched Ryouga's speed punch with awe. "Will I be able to punch that fast?"

He nodded with a silly grin. "Just takes practice. That Amazon assistant of hers is a real taskmaster though."

Looking at her own hand, Akane clenched it into a fist. Ryouga began to sweat as he saw that gleam in her eyes and recalled Ranko's words about a man-hater. "I will become one of the best."

"Akane. Ryouga." The two fell silent as Ranko looked at them. It was strange how easy it was to fall into a teacher's role with this group. Standing in front of a house, Ranko gave Ranma a small push and knocked quickly on the door. "Go ahead, Ranma."

The boy looked at her confused and stared at the wood door. The house was bigger than the Tendous, and seemed to have been carefully maintained. "But who-?"

The door opened and an older woman with dark red hair answered. She looked as stately as the home, her hair tied back in a bun, and a clean flower print kimono on. The woman stared at the group blankly for a moment before fixing her gaze on the pig-tailed boy with the familiar blue eyes. Staring hopefully she asked, "Ranma?"

The boy choked for a response as tears came to his eyes. "M-Mom?"

Akane and Ryouga watched from the background as the boy and woman embraced each other. Though the boy was obviously a pervert, Akane couldn't help but smile. "What's going on?"

Ryouga grinned a bit for his partner in training. With his family, Ryouga understood what it was like to see a family member after being alone for so long. "Ranma's been on a training trip for ten years. I think this is the first time they've seen each other."

Nodoka set her son back to get a better look at him though her eyes were still full of tears. "You look so manly."

Rolling her eyes, Ranko whispered to the sky, "Thank god."

"Oh, won't you come in?" Nodoka asked, already dragging Ranma inside. She showed them to the living room. "Can I get you something to drink?" She sat down before anyone could answer so Ranko left for the kitchen. Nodoka sat down beside her son and stared at him intently. "I want to hear everything that you've been doing. Where is your father? Is this a girlfriend of yours? Give me another hug."

Ranko smirked at the embarrassed look on Ranma's face and set down some cups with a kettle. She offered a cup to Nodoka first. "Tea?"

"Oh, thank you dear." Nodoka took the cup and quick sip before realizing there was someone else in her house besides Ranma. She stared at Ranko with the similar red hair.

"Ranko Meiou."

Nodoka smiled and followed her as she sat down. "Are you one of my son's girlfriends? He is quite handsome."

Ranma spat out the tea in his mouth.

Rising with righteous indignation, Ryouga screamed, "Ranma, how dare you try and force yourself on Ranko-sensei!"

Akane was quick to follow this up with a mallet. "You pervert!"

The teens were quick, but Ranko was quicker. "They're very excitable," she commented, removing her fingers from the back of their heads. Both teens slumped forward in a dead sleep. "Mrs. Saotome, I'm afraid Ranma isn't done with his training just yet."

The smile suddenly left the woman's face and she looked pleadingly to Ranma. "But it has been ten years."

"Yes, and he is one of the best of his generation, but I need him to be even better." Ranko set her cup down and stared at the woman seriously. "In a few years some very powerful enemies will arrive in Japan. The only thing that will stand in their way of destroying this planet will be the martial artists I can find willing to allow me to train them to be the best."

Nodoka looked Ranko over, starting with the bright red hair to the form-fitting body suit and her ample proportions. "You? Certainly a lovely young lady like you isn't interested in fighting? That's a man's duty."

The woman's old views slightly irritated Ranko after all that she had been through with other fighters. "I have already gone to the Tendous and annulled the engagement there by challenging both fathers. Ranma has also given me his word that he will be my student for the next two years. I brought him here because he had not seen you in a long time and it might do him some good."

"But," Nodoka looked worse now that she knew Ranko was serious.

"I'm not taking Ranma away from you, Mrs. Saotome. You may accompany us. I'm sure Ranma would not mind."

There was a moment as Nodoka thought all of this over and then looked at Ranma. "Is all of this true, my son?"

Ranma nodded, looking as though he wanted to apologize. "Yes, mother. Ranko is the most powerful martial artist I've ever seen, and if people are in danger then it's my duty to protect'em."

"That's very manly of you, Ranma." If this was Ranma's duty as a man then Nodoka would accept it. She pats him on the arm and looked back to Ranko. "What's this about the Tendous? That was a contract based on family honor."

Ranko winced. She was pretty sure that Nodoka would not like this so much. "Neither family lost any honor on the matter. I simply challenged both fathers and beat them. A contract for the challenge was made and signed by everyone involved." Nodoka did begin to frown. "I suppose you might feel better knowing that Akane has decided to come along as one of my students as well."

This brought a smile to Nodoka's face. She glanced over to the young girl asleep on the couch. "Really? Oh, I had hoped you would be able to make one of the girls fall in love with you! Such a manly son!"

Ranko glanced worriedly at Akane's unconscious response. " . . pervert . . ."

It was time to wake them up anyway. Ranko tapped a few spots on the back of their necks and watched them slowly rise from their forced slumber.

Ryouga was the first to make an intelligent response. "Huh?"

Ranko shook her head at them. "You two will learn to control your tempers or I will beat that control into you." She stood and looked around. "We should be going. I want you to meet the rest of the fighters you will be training alongside."

"Should I bring anything?" Nodoka asked timidly.

"There's no need. The Masaki shrine isn't so far away."

Ranko held open the door for the group and waited for Nodoka to lock it. She figured Nodoka would either stay here and visit on the weekends, or find a room at the Masaki's with Washuu's help and do what she could to assist Sasami in the kitchen and maintain the house.

Almost ready to leave, Ranko glared when she noticed a fat man creeping around the property.

"Nodoka! Thank goodness I found you! There is a mad woman running about, raving that the engagement with the Tendous has been annulled and Ranma is her student now. Absolute nonsense."

"It's Poopie," Akane said, surprised the man was awake.

"You remember your husband, don't you Mrs. Saotome?" Ranko got a wicked gleam in her eyes as she stared at the buffoon. "The man who sold your son for food ten times, taught him to be a thief, threw him into a pit of starving cats when he was six, told him you were-"

Nodoka pulled a katana that no one had noticed before and glared angrily at the cowering man. "DIE GENMA!"

"Eep!"

Ranma watched the chase for a moment before looking at Ranko suspiciously. "I don't remember pops ever calling mom those things."

"Oh? Didn't he teach you that all girls were weak and stupid?"

"Uh," Ranma wasn't so sure he should answer that in front of Ranko and Akane.

"Isn't your mother a girl?" Ranko continued.

The boy hadn't thought about it that way. Charging his aura, Ranma shook his fist at his father. "Get him, mom! Carve him into strips!"

After a brief, yet violent reunion between wife and husband, Nodoka returned, wiping the blood off of her katana with the silk wrapping. "Genma no baka. Stupid jerk." She became all smiles for the group of nervous teens. "Shall we get going?"

Ranko snorted with amusement and picked Nodoka up in her arms. The woman was startled for a moment and then held on as Ranko ascended into the air. "Try to keep up, students."

Down on the ground, Ranma grinned when he heard his mother laugh at her first ki supported flight. He always knew his mother had to be the better parent.

Back on the front lawn, a fat martial artist moaned in pain.

*~*~*

It took an hour to reach the Masaki's by foot. The group was slowed down by Ranma who had to carry Akane when she got tired at the edge of Nerima.

Now that they were at the Masaki home, everyone was sitting around the living room staring at one another. Ranma was eyeing Ryouko with a bit of fear; he just reminded her of something.

"Let's get introductions out of the first, okay?" Ranko stood up since she knew everyone in the room and what this meeting was going to be about. "I'm Ranko Meiou. This is Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and his mother Nodoka Saotome. Akane Tendou, heir to the Tendou School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. And Ryouga Hibiki of the Indiscriminant Grappling School of Martial Arts. Cologne, the greatest warrior to ever be produced by the Joketsuzoku Amazons, her great granddaughter, Shampoo, and the blind Hidden Weapons master, Mousse." Everyone nodded or bowed with their introductions and Ranko walked to the other side of the table to stand behind the first pair of people. A hand on a ditzy looking blond and a blue-haired woman in a uniform, she said, "This side. Mihoshi and Kiyone of the Galactic Space Police."

Kiyone was uncomfortable with everyone looking at her.

Mihoshi smiled absently and put a finger to her chin questioningly. "Gee, have we met before?"

Ranko passed another pair of girls. The younger had answered the door and was easy to get along with. The older girl kept eyeing Akane and Ranko angrily, her eye twitching every now and then as Tenchi couldn't help but follow the wiggle of Ranko's battle suit. "Princess Ayeka and Princess Sasami of the planet Jurai."

The next looked like a young girl, but something in her eyes marked her otherwise. "Washuu-chan Hakubi, greatest scientific genius in the universe."

"Oh, stop. I'm not," Washuu pretended to blush.

Two of the girl's little creations jumped onto her shoulders. They actually looked like small models of her. "Yes you are!" the first one cheered. "Don't be so modest, Washuu-chan!"

"Nobuyuki Masaki and his son, Tenchi Masaki."

Both men bowed, Tenchi earning another scowl from Ayeka as he blushed again.

Ranko smiled at the woman innocently floating in the air behind Tenchi and playing with his hair. "Ryouko Masaki, ex-space pirate and Tenchi's wife."

"Wife?!" Ayeka openly glared at Ranko and Ryouko.

Ryouko blushed demurely and hugged Ranko about the waist. "Oh, you think so? What a wonderful woman, you are!"

At the end of the table Mihoshi had begun to cry and grabbed Kiyone around the shoulders. "Tenchi and Ryouko got married? I'm so happy for you!"

"Did I miss something?" Ranko questioned the older man who had yet to be introduced. "Didn't Ryouko and Tenchi get married before Ryouko got pregnant?"

"PREGNANT?!" Ayeka screamed, her face burning with anger.

"Really?" Ryouko placed a hand over her stomach and floated into Tenchi's lap and squealed. "Oh, Tenchi!" She smiled adoringly at Ranko. "How do you know?"

Ranko grinned. She always did like Ryouko more than Ayeka anyway. The Ayeka chick was just too snobbish to get along with. "Trust me. I can see it."

While Tenchi and Sasami tried to quell Ayeka's rising anger, Ranko moved to the last of the group with a cocky grin that his old self would have recognized and become concerned about. "Last, but not least, Katsuhito Masaki, also known as Yosho, crown prince of Jurai."

Yosho winced. "You needn't have revealed so much."

The revelation did bring Ayeka out of her rage as she zeroed in on Yosho. "Brother?!"

"Sorry, Yosho, but it's best we get this out of the way now," was Ranko's response as she moved to the head of the table to get out of Ayeka's way.

The girl stared at the older man dizzily as he dropped the image of an old man for his true appearance. "Brother."

"Miya?"

Ranko grinned at the small animal rubbing itself against her ankles and picked the cabbit up. "Oh, excuse me. This sweet girl is called Ryo-oh-ki."

Ranma's response was immediate. "CAT!"

". . ." 

Washuu set about having the new hole in the wall fixed. It was becoming quite routine around this house.

Nodoka stared questioningly at the hole. "Ranma?"

Ranko snapped her fingers. "I knew I was forgetting something." She scratched Ryo-oh-ki behind the ears and answered Nodoka's unasked question. "Remember what I said about your husband tossing him into a pit of starving cats. Ranma was six at the time and your husband did it a few dozen times." Everyone around her looked a little green. Pumping up her aura, Ranko set the cabbit down and headed out the hole Ranma had made. "Excuse me everyone."

The Masaki group wasn't prepared for a regular human flying off. ". . ."

Washuu's eye twitched and she began typing rapidly on her light computer. "She was hiding all of that power?! I can't wait to get her into my lab for some tests!"

The Nerima group inched a little further away from the unhealthy look in the redhead's eyes. It took a little while and conversation was understandably slow as they waited for Ranko to return with Ranma.

"We're back."

The group looked to the hole and found Ranko landing with Ranma purring in her arms. She suffered another lick on the cheek before dropping the insane martial artist on the floor.

Ranma-neko looked over the group with his head cocked. "Meow."

Smirking, Ranko swatted him towards the curious Ryo-oh-ki. "Go play with the cabbit."

Ryo-oh-ki bounced happily into the backyard with Ranma following. "Miya!"

"Meow!"

". . ."

Sitting down at the head of the table Ranko took a quick sip of her tea. "All right, here's the score." Everyone turned to her looking a bit frightened by what she had to say after seeing Ranma. "I'm from the future and it really sucks. In about two years this planet will be attacked by a pair of powerful fighters called Saiyajins."

There was synchronized swallowing.

"Saiyajins?" Washuu asked.

Ranko nodded to the woman. "They're an engineered species that came about while you were trapped by Kagato." Her face turned grim as she continued, "Anyway, it is their job to ready planets for sale. They will come down here and kill as many as they have to so the government will give its unconditional surrender."

"What do you mean for sale?" Akane asked with her hand raised.

Ranko was worried because she didn't want to scare everyone away. "These aliens scour the universe for useful planets to sell to other growing intergalactic powers. I think they're just after the Earth's resources."

Yosho clenched his jaw. "What resources?"

"Minerals, food, water. I also saw cages for slave traders and-" Ranko looked away from her mother and Mihoshi, "sex toys."

Ryouko clenched her fist in the following silence. "No problem then. Now that we know we just wait for them to come and blow them out of the sky."

Ranko shook her head. "It's not that easy. I'm not exactly sure where they are coming from or where they attack first except that it will be in Japan. They are also a great deal more powerful than any of you can handle right now. I have two years to get you ready so I, Cologne, and Yosho will be teaching you how to improve your skills."

Ryouko snorted. "You?" She phased out.

Ranko reached behind her and caught the reforming Ryouko by the neck and slammed the cyan-haired woman into the ground at her feet. Ryouko made a choking noise as she tried to pull Ranko's hand away. "Yes, me."

"You should listen to her, Ryouko. I have proof that what she tells us is true." Washuu nodded at her light computer. "According to the report I sent back with her from the future you, Ayeka, and Kiyone died in the initial attack after less than a minute against these Saiyajins."

"The only real survivors from my time were myself, Washuu, Tenchi, Setsunna, and Ryo-oh-ki. Tsunami faded a minute before I left." Ranko stared hard at the table, flexing her fists tighter to fight off the anger of her memories. "If I can get you strong enough to defeat the Saiyajins we might stand a chance against the army that will follow. I'm not going to force any of you to fight, but you must decide now because training starts tomorrow." Ranko stood up and headed for the backyard. Ranma and Ryo-oh-ki stopped in their game of tag to watch her light up again.

Yosho stood behind her at the door. "Where are you going?" 

"There's one last group of fighters I want to bring in on this."

Yosho watched her fly off with an uncertain feeling about the future Ranko had presented them with. From what he could see Ranko was a very capable fighter, stronger than he was, but she was also harboring a great amount of anger that may get released at the wrong time. Hopefully the peace of the past will give her the time to find an inner peace.

The seriousness of the news had reached the others as well as they sat around the table thinking of what Ranko had said. Ryouko had floated back over to Tenchi and grabbed a hold of his arm worriedly. "Tenchi?"

The boy look saddened at Ryouko's quiet plea to stay safe. They could leave with Ryo-oh-ki and never face the threat, but Tenchi couldn't abandon his home. "I have to fight, Ryouko. I have to stop this from happening."

Nodoka stroked her son's hair as he pushed his way into her lap. She did not want to lose her manly son so soon. "Meow."

*~*~*

There was a disturbance. 

Setsunna felt it that morning as she woke up for work as a fashion designer. After so many years of waiting for the Sailor Scouts and the following years of fighting, she now had the time for more enjoyable pursuits. There was a dark spot in the time stream that she was not allowed to see, but she had only assumed that Usagi was not to be allowed how she became queen in case it affected her badly.

The time ripple she felt gave her much worse impressions. If it was a fight that was coming, Setsunna wasn't sure if the Scouts would be prepared. It had been a long time since the last fight and most of the girls were getting out of practice. They had all become lax in their duties with the long peace. 

How ironic that the end they thought they had reached was truly just the calm before the storm. By the look of the following darkness in the time stream that storm was a hurricane made of fire.

A meeting had been called so Setsunna could warn the others. She waited for them now to get out of school and meet at the Cherry Hill Shrine. The Outers were already on their way.

A powerful aura entered the area, causing Setsunna to whip her head in that direction. She found a short redhead in a tight black suit. "Ranma," she whispered.

Ranko smiled briefly at the green-haired woman before her. "Hi, Setsunna."

"Do I know you?"

The redhead nodded slowly, her eyes holding Setsunna's. "You sent me from the future to prepare the Scouts for the dark period in time you cannot see."

Setsunna tensed and held the girl by the shoulders. "What is it? Who are you?"

It was too much, seeing Setsunna like this, not knowing what happened to her before. Ranko grabbed the taller woman by the waist and pressed her head into Setsunna's bosom. 

Setsunna stiffened as the red-haired woman cried into her chest. She was still in this nervous position when the rest of the Scouts entered the shrine.

". . ."

Ranko would explain what is happening to the Scouts as she did for the Masaki group and then all of the characters for the coming drama would be gathered.

End Chapter One

***

What I really hate about this one is that it's written so poorly. It had a good mix for an old plot and I think having Ranko Meiou taking the place of Goku lends the story new meaning.

Oh well, it was easy to crank out and helped relax my mind between working on other things.

Send C&C to jehtek@hotmail.com

Or visit my website at www.geocities.com/jehtek

Ja ne.


	2. chapter two

Disclaimer: It's alive! Alive! Hahahaha! I've done it! It ali- . . . oops. Where did you get this defective brain from Igor? Ranma 1/2 and DBZ doesn't belong to me.

**__**

Savior

Chapter Two

By Michael Fetter

Hotaru rushed up the stairs with tears in her eyes. Ranko grimaced at the sound of the girl's door slamming shut.

The meeting with the Sailor Scouts had not gone as Ranko expected. In her time the Scouts were powerful, quiet, and carried within them steel that only looked like flesh. These girls were young. Young and innocent and it hurt Ranko inside to tell them the truth.

In a way, Ranko felt privileged to meet these girls before the war starts. It changed them, made them older than they should be. Likely because of the few girls Ranko had never met before. Mercury was smart and she looked a bit like Akane. They lost a valuable member before they came for Ranko's help. 

The other Outers followed Ranko into the house. They watched her with some fear and resignation as she wandered into the living room to stare into the backyard. Michiru held Haruka a bit tighter and headed for the stairs after Hotaru. Haruka groaned with each step, her arm slung over her lover's shoulders. "Can you make it up the stairs."

"Try," Haruka slurred around a jaw of bruises. She, like Ryouko, did not believe Ranko could train them to be stronger than they were. The blonde thought better of it after Ranko knocked her around a bit. 

Setsunna entered last and closed the door behind her. She hadn't spoken much during the meeting, simply watched Ranko describe the new threat the Time Gates had hidden from her. 

Haruka frowned at the sight of Setsunna, "Dang, I thought she was straight."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," said Michiru.

That sent Setsunna's mind on a spin. She really needed to get new roommates or at least thicker walls. She eventually put it out of her mind to talk with Ranko. "What are you thinking of?"

There were many ways to answer that question, but Ranko was pretty sure no one was ready to hear some of the things she was worried about. She was given a second chance and she didn't want to lose anyone this time. To let them suffer like that again would be like putting a knife into her stomach. Instead, she said, "Do you mind if I sleep on your couch tonight?"

"No," Setsunna answered expressionlessly.

*~*~*

This world was strange. It was the same one she just came from, but Ranko had trouble trying to filter through its activity. There was nothing real here. People walked by her. Some of the women scowled at her clothing and men let their eyes linger. They weren't there though. These people were dead, walking corpses. How can they stare at her like this when she was the only living thing around? 

The buildings in the market area were complete and inviting. None were leveled or sported holes the size of alien fists. The smoke screen of life wasn't fooling Ranko to the death contained within. The streets were concrete rivers of blood and the only thing these pleasant buildings were inviting was death. No one was prepared for the future and Ranko spat at them. How could they be so selfish?

In a window Ranko found a mannequin dressed in a light sundress. It was the same kind Setsunna had worn for their wedding night in an effort to be romantic. This one was not torn and scorched, but if Ranko looked just right at the window's reflection she was back in her own time. Silence of the cowardly hanging over the town, a stale, grimy smell clinging to the rubble, and Setsunna in a light red dress standing out like a mockery of hope.

"Meiou-san?"

Ranko shook herself from the memory. Wherever that Setsunna was she was gone now. This Setsunna had been nothing like Ranko's wife. It hurt the redhead to be so distant with the one she had held closest.

The blonde touched her arm and Ranko found herself staring sadly at a young couple of less than adequate fighters of love and justice. "Usagi. Mamoru." Ranko glanced at them then the dress shop window. What had she been thinking about? There was no time for dresses. Ranko's memories were just nightmares even in their brightest moments. 

Mamoru had been there at the first meeting when Ranko told them of the future. Apparently they'd gotten visitors from the future before and were prepared for her speech. The boy remained close and supported Usagi and her friends when they declared they would defeat the new enemy. Ranko almost smiled as she crushed their hopes by showing off some of her own power. What children they were. Not the warriors Ranma had come to respect.

Flinching at Ranko's gaze, Usagi stepped closer to Mamoru's side. "What are you doing? Are you all right?"

In another few years Usagi would be rushing to her lover's side in hopes of saving him from a massive ki blast. "Mamo-chan!"

"Usagi!" Mamoru held out his hand to touch her as he lay bleeding on the ground. The Saiyajin above them laughed cruelly and ended their romance before they could share one more moment together. 

Ranko's gaze hardened even further and she walked off. "I'm fine."

The two behind her were startled by her attitude and probably even frightened. Many of the fighters in this time were pathetic in comparison to her and Ranko felt the rising bile that came with the thought of using them in battle. Love and Justice didn't win peace, warriors did.

*~*~*

When everyone had assembled at the Masaki shrine it was past lunchtime and they chose to digest the food with conversation. Ranko had stared hard at the Moon cats that were ready to order the Sailor Scouts to attack Ryouko. Cats were just flea-ridden vermin good only as training tools if you starved them long enough. Ranma may not have appreciated the Neko-ken training, but that would change in time. Ranko had only spoken ill of her father's training to get Nodoka to chase him off. She didn't need spineless losers getting in the way of real training.

Twirling about the air in one of the katas of her own design, Ranko couldn't help but feel proud of the benefits Ranma was already starting out with. With Sailor Moon on call it was easy to 'purify' Ranma's mind and give him access to the Neko-ken's power. He'd also be getting the best of Amazon Wu Shu without the hassle of stupid challenges and abusive fiancées.

Without delving into her huge reservoir of ki, Ranko bound and flipped through the area with powerful yet quick martial arts techniques. All of her battles against the Saiyajins and their army had given Ranko strength and speed beyond what the others could achieve with the aid of ki. 

Still breathing calmly, Ranko came to a stop after her last kata and closed her eyes. She could feel her aura turn restlessly and let a portion of it run free. Red energy swirled about her form; the anger within sparked against her skin.

Opening her eyes again, Ranko's face was a mask of concentration as she stared off across the lake. Taking a ready stance, she roared, "Snap Shot!"

An instant later Ranko stood on the opposite side of the bank with her aura twice as strong as before and held so tightly that it looked like red water. The next instant she appeared somewhere else on the shrine grounds. Treetops leaned away from her. Sand skittered off in small dust clouds. Water from the lake shot up in the wake of her passing. When it was over Ranko stood on the grass beside the Masaki home where she started. Breathing harder, Ranko slowly dropped her fists and let her shoulders sag. The new white doji she wore over her body suit held up surprisingly well.

The sound of clapping brought Ranko back to the world. Young Cologne stood beside a group of awed martial artists, Sailor Scouts, and alien visitors. "Very impressive."

Ranko smirked a bit coldly at Cologne. "I trained for years to find some way to level the playing field with the Saiyajins and their army."

"Did you create anything else?"

Ranko nodded. "Only one other, but it takes too long to build up the energy. We tried to hold the Saiyajins off once so I could ready it." Ranko broke off and looked away from the group. She hated thinking of these things, the past, the future. The stupid technique, she cursed herself. Ranko had known it would take too long, but the others saw its power and wanted to chance it. It had cost her dearly. 

"Forget it," she muttered. Ranko moved into a fighting stance facing the crowd. "All right then. Let's see what kind of losers I'll be turning into fighters."

There was fear in their eyes when they faced off against Ranko, but none of them were cowards. If they wanted a chance against the Saiyajins they would have to trust Ranko.

Clenching her jaw, Cologne moved out first. The fight was spectacularly brief. Cologne hardest hits were barely felt and Ranko made no move to block them. Shiatsu points were overcome with a burst of ki from Ranko. The Splitting Cat Hairs technique did not confuse her, nor did the Hiryu Shouten Ha contain her. When Ranko was sure she'd seen enough, she walked right into Cologne's defenses and cracked her once over the head and dropped the purple-haired woman into unconsciousness. 

Everyone swallowed as Ranko's eyes returned to the crowd. "Next."

*~*~*

"This isn't training," Makoto wheezed out as she continued to climb the shrine steps, "it's torture."

Ami grunted right behind her. "Her theory seems sound though."

"She didn't have to laugh when I told her I was a martial artist too," Akane winced with the next step.

Face red with the strain, Usagi tried to readjust the straps around her shoulders again. "Why are we doing this?"

Ami glanced back at her princess and offered a wane smile. The boulders on their backs weren't as large as the one on Akane's, but it didn't change how much pain they were in. Some people got out of this training, but people who had not trained seriously needed to catch up in what Ranko called "Basic Calisthenics". Unfortunately this was only the first exercise. "According to Meiou-sensei our strength and speed in our normal forms are relative to those in our Sailor forms. I've done the math and we are four times faster as Sailor Scouts and about ten times stronger. Unfortunately that doesn't even come close to Meiou-sensei's strength and if we want to fight these Saiyajins we're going to have to become at least as strong as her."

"No," Usagi whined, "why are we doing this?"

"Oh," Ami blinked and continued trudging up the mountainside. "For the safety of the planet."

There was a long silence broken only by the grunts and groans of the girls. 

Rei grit her teeth after almost teetering backwards on the steps again. "No planet is worth this."

"I bet Meiou-sensei isn't going near as hard on the others. She just doesn't like us," Minako whined. "She's just bitter that we don't have all of those scars covering our beautiful skin."

Akane rolled her eyes and continued moving.

"Yeah," Usagi agreed, her eyes suddenly turning distant and glazing over. "She's probably keeping those cute boys to herself and enjoying some big bowls of ice cream." 

Minako and Makoto both grinned as images of Ranma, Ryouga, and Mousse danced in their heads. The shirtless, sweating bodies kneeling about them. Perhaps Ranma would be holding some sweets out in both hands while Mousse stood to the side waving a big feather, and Ryouga's broad chest became the cushion the girls lounged upon. 

Sighing at the same time they almost missed the sound of smacking flesh.

"What was that?" Tenchi asked. He and Yosho had been doing their best to avoid listening to the perverted girls in front of them. Actually, Tenchi was trying hard not to stare at Ami's butt only a few steps ahead of him. 

Yosho grunted under his own boulder and turned his head in the direction the sound had come from. "It might be Meiou training the others."

"Oh, yeah?" Minako looked over speculatively. "I want to see."

"Me too!" Makoto agreed quickly.

Tenchi and Yosho shrugged their shoulders and decided to follow. They were fairly interested in what Ranko considered "Advanced Calisthenics". 

They heard Ranko's voice. "No, you have to focus, Ryouga." 

Crawling up behind one of the trees, Makoto and Minako peered around to get a look at what was going on. 

The rest arrived soon after and watched the training as well. Ranko and Cologne were seated on tree branches holding ropes while Ranma, Ryouga, Shampoo, and Mousse were strung up in strange looking harnesses that left only a single finger free to move. Shampoo and Mousse looked to be hanging upside-down and unconscious while Ranma and Ryouga had bruises appearing over the exposed parts of their bodies.

"What are they doing?" Akane asked. 

She got her answer when Ranko and Cologne released the ropes and two large boulders come barreling out of the trees to slam against the boys. 

Grinning nervously, Usagi backed slowly towards the shrine steps. "Well . . . I'm sure they don't need us . . . we've got our own training and all."

Nodding quickly, the others broke for the steps. "Right!"

Ranko's cackling laughter made them shudder and inspired them to run even faster.

*~*~*

Ranma looked worn. Not surprising with the training Ranko had been giving him. Actually, Ranma didn't mind hard training. It wasn't often that he learned anything new anymore. His father had been very thorough in his martial arts education.

What he did mind was the extra 'workout' the others were giving him. Being connected to Akane as he was turned out to be quite painful. Whenever she messed up, he would pay for it. Akane was quite clumsy too. She tried hard, and Ranma helped, but it didn't always work. Akane was also easily frustrated and vented most often on Ranma. She had the strength to clock him over the tree line. 

Ranma's school specialized in mid-air combat, but this was getting ridiculous. 

Then there was Ryo-oh-ki. The little devil furball had zeroed in on him for its fun. At least she gave up after the fifth or so lap around the lake.

Ryouga still had his grudge and competed with Ranma in everything. They were fairly evenly matched with Ranma being a bit faster and Ryouga being a bit stronger. It wasn't a surprise that Ryouga achieved the Bakusai Tenketsu first. The Lost Boy gloated over that victory until Ranma tugged at his leash to pull him in the right direction. It was Meiou-sensei's idea, but for some reason the leash and collar made a lot of girls' blush.

Bedraggled and dirty, Ranma found some nice shade to cool down in after some speed and agility training. Everyone in the Advanced Training had held long canes that the trainee had to dodge as they circled him. It worked, but when Ranma missed he'd get a painful welt. 

After some time, Meiou-sensei walked around the bend to find him sitting at the edge of the lake with the weird, giant tree in the center. She looked him over for a moment and then sat down beside him. "Well?"

Through the pain and exhaustion, Ranma was able to smile at the redhead. "Man, I've never felt this strong before."

Ranko nodded and let the quiet settle over them again. She was proud of him, of how fast he actually could improve himself given the chance. Ranko missed that. After the war started, training was no longer fun, it was a painful duty to live another day. "How's your mom?"

Ranma's smile turned a little quirky. "Good. She's got this weird manly idea about me, but it's nice having her here. Washuu-chan made all those extra rooms so she and the others could stay."

"Yes. Setsunna said she could take care of things for the others also," Ranko said. After a time she put her hand on the boy's shoulder and stood up. "It's time we took care of a small problem."

"Uh, problem?" Ranma tensed. He liked the training, but the smile on Meiou-sensei's face looked sinister.

"Yep, you're almost perfect, Ranma, but almost just isn't good enough."

He frowned and stood up. "What are you talking about?"

Ranko was glad she wasn't as short as she used to be. Now she could look Ranma evenly in the eye. "People are counting on you, Ranma. You can't let them down." She took his arm and started guiding him back to the house. "This life is a dark, deep pit. You can't be afraid to face your nightmares anymore, Ranma."

"What do ya mean?" Ranma looked confused and Meiou-sensei's sad smile. "Why are ya lookin at me like that?"

"There is something in you that can make you an invincible warrior." She looked away. "I need you to embrace it."

"Wha?" Ranma's eyes went wide as he figured out what she was talking about. He broke her grip and ran in a panic. There was no way he'd let himself be tossed into a pit of cats again. "No way!"

"Ranma!" Ranko frowned and took after the boy. She caught up with him easily and grabbed him about the waist; his arms stuck to his sides.

Ranma continued to thrash, kicking his legs and screaming in fear. "No. No, let me go."

People stopped in their training as Meiou-sensei entered the area with Ranma. The pig-tailed boy had been the cockiest person they'd ever known and now . . .

"What's going on?" Ami wondered.

Akane bit her lip in worry. "Meiou-sensei?"

Walking straight up to the blond with two ponytails, Ranko set Ranma on the ground and kept a hand on his shoulder to keep him from fleeing. "It's okay to be afraid, Ranma." The boy gave an indignant stutter and stared at her with wide, pained eyes. She smiled gently at him. "True strength comes from us overcoming our fears though."

Staring at her for a moment, Ranma bit down on his fear and forced himself to remain kneeling. He would overcome his fear. He would not run away. Not run away.

Confused, Usagi stared at the redhead. "Meiou-sensei?"

"Cleanse him, Usagi. It's time he mastered the Neko-ken," said Ranko.

Others arrived, attracted by the noise. 

"What's the Neko-ken?" Rei asked of a pale Ryouga. The boy couldn't respond.

"Are you sure about this, Ranko-chan?" Nodoka asked from the back door, standing beside a hesitant Sasami.

Ranko's eyes remained fixed on Usagi and the girl nodded firmly in response. Her transformation sequence splashed light around the area and she stood with her scepter in both hands over Ranma. "Moon Healing Escalation!" Everyone looked away as the light turned blinding. They were aware of Ranma kneeling in the center as he screamed. When the noise and lights died off they found Ranma panting on the ground with no signs of injury. Usagi detransformed and smiled at Ranko. "Is that it? I did it, right?"

Watching Ranma, Ranko nodded with a grin and helped the boy to his feet.

Cataloguing the event on her computer, Ami turned to the redhead. "So what can Ranma do with the Neko-ken, Meiou-sensei?"

Before she could respond, two men rushed around the corner of the house.

"Ranma! Oh, what an worthless son I have!" Genma cried as he rushed forward.

Soun was beside his friend with tears streaming down his eyes. "We've found you! Now you and Akane can get married!"

Ranko knew the two idiots would find out where they were sooner or later, most likely from Nabiki. The timing actually couldn't be better. She nudged the boy. "Why don't you show them what you can do, Ranma."

He nodded at her, smiling broadly. "Surrre, Meiou-sensei."

Ranko blinked. Did he just purr?

Smirking, Ranma stalked towards the two men flexing his hands slightly. His already smooth motions were now even more graceful like a cat stalking a bird.

Stopping a few meters away, Genma pointed at his son. "Boy, stop acting like a girl! This is a matter of my retirement . . . I mean, family honor!"

Soun's tears turned into waterworks. "Wahh! My little girl is getting married!"

"Urk!" Ranma appeared in front of Genma suddenly with his hand in the man's stomach. The boy was crouched over in an aggressive combat stance.

People around the yard blinked at the speed of the attack.

"Wow," Akane muttered dumbly.

"Did you see that?" Usagi almost squealed.

"T-The N-Neko-ken." Genma stuttered as he took a few steps away from his son. "Ha! I knew you could master it, boy! Now you'll do as your father tells you!"

More tears. "Oh, Saotome, such a good heir you've made!"

Ranma's eyes narrowed at his father as he flexed his hands again. "You'rrre all dried up, pops. Now get lost. I've got trrrrainin ta do."

Genma fumed. "Boy, you will do what you're told like I raised you to. What can a weak, foolish woman teach you anyway?"

"Better things than you everrrr could, old man."

"I'll show you who is the better, boy. Kijin Raishu Dan!" Genma leapt into the air and kicked out with his leg, still a distance away from Ranma. The ground where the pig-tailed boy had been standing suddenly exploded from the vacuum blast.

Akane recognized the attack from when Meiou-sensei had challenged both fathers at the Tendou dojo. "Ranma!"

Ranko caught the girl before she could rush off. "It's okay, Akane. Let him deal with this."

The girl nodded, but she still looked worried like everyone else. Cologne stood staring numbly at the fight. A true master of the Nekoken had never been heard of even in her lifetime. 

Ranma appeared out of the dust cloud without even a scratch and moved in swiftly towards his opponent. Skidding to Genma's backside, Ranma released a hail of ki powered punches. "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"

Genma cried out in pain as small ki claws shred his gi. Cuts began to appear, but Ranma obviously made sure to keep them shallow.

"An opening!"

Ranma jumped over a kick from Soun and grabbed the man's ankle. He tossed him aside as the man was obviously out of practice. "I don't think Akane would like me hurtin ya, Tendou-san."

With a pained expression, Genma slowly stood up to glare at his son. "Boy."

Narrowing his eyes, Ranma grabbed his father by the neck and slammed him into the ground face first. "My name is Ranma!"

Seeing his friend kicked down the shrine steps, Soun lumbered to his feet and left as well.

Ranma grinned, feeling immensely good about the whole thing. Turning back to the audience, he walked over to them.

Ranko examined the boy and smirked. "Nice job, Ranma, but what took you so long?"

He shrugged and made his way to a relieved Akane.

The girl blushed as she noted Ranma's smile held as he looked at her. He circled behind her and put his cheek against hers, purring. "Ranma, what are you- . . . Pervert!"

Akane's face was burning with embarrassment as Ranko turned to face her. "I told you about these outbursts, Akane." She shrugged and gave the girl a push in the direction Ranma had been belted to. "You better go get him before he runs off with an alley cat." Some people snickered and started returning to their training with the excitement over. Ranko glanced at Usagi and arched an eyebrow. "A bit out of practice, are we, Sailor Moon?"

The girl scratched the back of her head. "Oopsie."

*~*~*

"Quite an active woman, isn't she father?" Nobuyuki commented around a cup of tea.

"Determined I would say," Yosho responded.

The two sat silently as Ranko continued to train in the backyard. There was a glow about her that lit up the tree line in a soft blue like a guiding star lost in the darkness.

Minako looked tired as she walked into the living room in her pajamas with the rest of the group. With a long sigh she sat down beside Makoto and took a glance out the window. "Is she still at it?"

Ami nodded. "Meiou-sensei said we would get used to it after a while. She has an incredible amount of an energy and I would suspect it takes quite a lot of training to get her tired."

With a grin, Minako jerked her head towards their princess who looked about to drop. "It's certainly helped Usagi. She's been having less trouble getting out of bed these past few weeks."

"Where's Artemis?"

People glanced around for a moment until they found a black cat jumping onto the back of the couch. Ami missed Luna's scowl as she answered, "I believe the cabbit is chasing him around the house again."

Ryoko reached up and scratched Luna's head, her belly starting to show a little more. Tenchi hovered over her more much to Ayeka's annoyance. "You don't have anything to worry about, kitten. Ryo-oh-ki is just playing. She's too young for that sort of thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Luna responded primly.

People grinned, not in the least bit convinced. Luna sniffed and waltzed out of the room. 

After a large dinner and a days worth of training, most of the people were feeling a bit lethargic, tired yet not sleepy. It was a content euphoria that let them get along with each other without arguing over anything. Since Ranko had found them, Rei and Usagi had gotten along much better in fact. The Outers felt more like comrades then they ever had before. In some ways it was like a large sleepover. 

Ranko didn't like thinking of it like that. It seemed to make her and the boys uncomfortable.

"What happened to those other girls?" Akane asked. She and Ranma had taken over a spot by the wall. Akane says she just wants to make sure he doesn't do anything perverted and had nothing to do with how cute he is when he gets flustered, not at all. Nope.

From there they could see out into the backyard and follow Ranko's movements and it was easier than trying to convince Ryoko she wasn't so pregnant that she needed the entire couch. The rest just sat around the coffee table where various snacks could always be found since the house had two cooking savants.

"I believe Mihoshi and Kiyone had to return to their jobs," Ami answered. 

Coming in from the backyard and closing her light computer, Washuu nodded. "I sent word to the Galaxy Police and they are setting up patrols outside the solar system to track incoming traffic. These Saiyajins are apparently a race of class A criminals with a record worse than Ryouko's."

"Hey!"

"They'll try to stop them from entering, but if they get past then we're on our own. Interstellar law and all." She took a seat at the couch and Ryoko obligingly moved her feet aside. Washuu was the only one who gained this respect, or fear. Tenchi was turned into a seat the last time he asked.

Clearing her throat, Sasami held up the kitchen phone. "There's a phone call for you, uncle."

Nobuyuki reluctantly looked away from Ranko and took the phone. "Thank you, Sasami."

Nodoka passed Nobuyuki through the kitchen door and sat down beside Sasami when Washuu forced Ryoko to give them room. Sasami smiled up to the older woman. "Thank you for your help around the house, Saotome-san."

"Oh, it was my pleasure, Sasami-chan, and please call me auntie," the woman said pleasantly. 

"Okay, Auntie Saotome."

Makoto sighed. "Yeah, thanks for doing all the cooking, Sasami, Saotome-san. I'd help too, but Meiou-sensei keeps us busy all day long and I'm just too tired to lift a spoon at the end."

"Do you cook, Makoto?"

Usagi chirped in excitedly, "Mako-chan is a great cook. She won a chef award one time."

"That's quite an accomplishment," Nodoka nodded as the girl blushed.

Makoto stroked her ponytail and smiled in embarrassment. "I enjoy cooking. It's a good thing I'm so good at it."

Looking around the room, Nodoka smiled at the other girls. Even if she didn't think girls should be fighting, they all seemed like such nice young women. Maybe a few of them would become her son's mistresses! "How about the rest of you girls? What sorts of things do you like doing?"

"I sing. I plan to become an idol singer some day," Minako spoke up quickly. There were little stars in her eyes that brought out amused grins all around.

"I'm studying to become a doctor," Ami said in a small voice.

Nodoka nodded at them both. She moved to the girls closer to the last bits of food. The dark haired girl would frown at the blonde with ponytails, but remained at her side anyway.

Rei looked away from Usagi with a frown. "I'll take over at the family shrine after my grandfather." She nudged Usagi afterwards when people stared at her.

Clasping her hands together and staring at nothing, Usagi got a dreamy look in her eyes. "I'm going to be a princess in a magical kingdom and live happily ever after with my prince."

Rei clapped a hand over her eyes and stopped Nodoka before she could open her mouth. "Don't ask. That's all she ever thinks about."

Nodoka nodded. Some people just grew up faster than others.

Cocking his head, Ranma turned to Akane at his side. "How about you, Akane? What arrre you going to be?"

Akane blushed lightly. The purr in his voice made him sound very suave and sexy. She tried to ignore those thoughts. "I thought about being an actress."

"Really? I thought you wanted to take over your family dojo?" Haruka and Akane found they had quite a bit in common and spent some of their free time together talking. 

Akane's smile thinned out a little. "Yeah, well, that's what I'll end up doing, but I'm sure I have time for other things first."

"I want to get out of this chain?" Ryouga said hopefully, shaking at the collar around his neck. Ranko had given it to him a while ago, with the steel spikes just like she wanted, and for some reason he hadn't taken it off. The other girls agreed he should keep it, but the way they smiled made Ryouga nervous.

Washuu glared at him irritably. "Forget it, Hibiki. I'm not spending another hour wandering around that mountain looking for you. I still don't know how you avoided my sensors."

"I'll watch him." Hotaru bounced up to sit beside the bandana boy. She grabbed onto his arm and smiled at his embarrassment cutely.

Michiru and Haruka stared at the two for a moment. Haruka frowned and started to get up. "Hotaru."

"Aw, that's so cute," Michiru smiled and pulled her lover back down firmly. Hotaru smiled victoriously. 

Tenchi grinned and put down a new card in his game he was playing against Mousse who was going without his glasses at Ranko's orders. For a half-blind man he was doing surprisingly well. He wondered what sort of special training he'd been getting from Cologne-sensei. Tenchi caught his father coming out of the kitchen with a frown. "Something wrong, dad?"

"It was your school, Tenchi. I forgot to excuse you." There was disappointment in the words, but he didn't say anything further. 

"That's one thing I don't miss. School was so boring," said Usagi.

Ami looked at her friend with a frown. "You need an education, Usagi. There isn't much you can do without one. Minako can't be an idol if she's a drop out. What would people think of her? And Makoto and Rei need to graduate to go to college. And I won't be able to get into medical school without it."

"Are you having second thoughts about this, Ami?" Washuu asked.

It took a moment, but Ami shook her head. "No, Washuu-chan. This is important, but I'm worried about what will happen to us when this is all over." She sighed deeply and looked away from the backyard. "I'm sure Meiou-sensei wants to protect us and the planet, but at what cost?"

"Oh, you're thinking that forgetting about your education will turn you into her."

Ami looked flustered and shook her head quickly. "I'm sure Meiou-sensei isn't stupid-" 

"-but you don't want to end up like her." Washuu gave the apologetic girl a sad smile. In her life, Washuu had seen and done many things. But she tried to stay away from war. She had too much experience with such things in her own past. "Ranko lost a lot in the war of her past. Her ambitions and dreams were changed quite drastically with the loss of her family. There was no future for her any longer."

"Yes. Ranko is stuck in the past especially in her own mind." Cologne agreed.

Nodoka sighed. "Such a lovely young lady she is. I'm sure there must have been someone special Ranko was planning to become a wife for."

Ranma scowled at the sorrowful looks everyone was directing towards his sensei. "That's stupid." In a louder voice he growled at the other fighters. "Ranko-sensei has got to be the best martial arrrtist in the world. Why would she want to give it up to become some weak housewife when she can prrrotect so many people? It's the duty of a marrrtial artist to defend the weak." People looked at him with a little confusion, disdain, and annoyance. Ranma understood Ranko though. She wasn't someone's housewife and he doubted she'd ever wanted to be something like that. Ranko was stronger, more driven than that. The others just didn't understand, but Ranko was everything Ranma wanted to be. She had power, but there was also a fire that kept her pushing at herself. Snorting, Ranma flowed onto his feet with his Neko-ken grace and strode out the door. "I'm going to sparrr with her a bit before bed."

"But you still need something worth protecting." Cologne whispered in the quiet room. "I will talk to Ranko about making time for more practical studies."

Ami nodded. "Thank you, Cologne-san."

*~*~*

After eating and relaxing a bit, everyone declared it a night and headed for bed. Washuu had gone through and created pocket dimensions for the girls to sleep in when they started running out of room. The boys were stuffed into Tenchi's though. It didn't bother any of them too much since they were hardly in there. Cots were set up side by side and clothing was generally left lying around the room. 

All the training, the physical abuse, this was one of the best times in Ranma's life. He lived to train, to become better, the best. He wasn't the only one though. It really was nice having Ryouga around. The other fighters were good, but no one else was as challenging. Ranko, Yosho, and Cologne were could easily trounce anyone in the group, but he and Ryouga were in the level just beneath them. Everyone should have a Ryouga Hibiki for a training partner.

"It's not funny," Ryouga growled pitifully. 

Ranma continued to snicker. "Man, yourrr face was redder than Meiou-sensei's hairrr."

Ryouga paced about the room in his agitation. The chain was gone, but that didn't mean he couldn't get lost in the room. "Shut up, you jerk." The boy was probably unconsciously looking for a way to escape this latest embarrassment.

Following the boy with his eyes, Ranma grinned. "I'll watch Rrryouga at night to make surrre he doesn't wanderrr off. Hehehehe." 

Mousse smiled at the two. Leaving the village had been better than he thought it would be. Ranko was hard on them, but he was stronger and felt even closer to Shampoo now. The other guys were different than he was used to, but he liked them. "Don't worry about it, Ryouga. Hotaru is just a little kid with a crush."

"She's only two years younger than us," Ryouga muttered.

Ranma sniffed in disgust. "I wouldn't call herrr a kid. Minako says she has the power to destroy the worrrld." It wasn't fair that someone should be stronger than him without training he thought. That and Hotaru was so young; she couldn't possibly be ready for that kind of responsibility.

The boys paused as they heard from a clatter out in the hall. Mousse frowned deeply and faced Ryouga seriously. "Hmm, Saotome might be right. You'd best keep her happy, Hibiki."

Ryouga groaned in dismay and blushed in embarrassment at the same time. The door opened and Tenchi stumbled into his bed without a word.

"How is your fiancée doing, Tenchi?" Mousse asked, lifting the boy's face off of his pillow. He looked weary. 

Tenchi shook his head. "She's still upset about us not sleeping together, but I keep telling her how early I get up and she doesn't like that at all."

"She sure is milking the whole pregnancy thing. Sasami has been making treats for her almost non-stop. She'll get fat from them before she will from the baby!"

Tenchi caught himself before he nodded. "She's also been teasing Ayeka about it a lot. I hope they don't fight with Ryouko in the condition she's in."

They had all witnessed more than one such confrontation. "I wouldn't worrrry about it. Meiou-sensei seems to like herrr a lot and will stop them beforrre anyone gets hurt. They were probably frrriends back in herrr time."

"At least we're not as bad as Ranma and Mousse, eh Tenchi?" Ryouga grinned at the glowering boys. "We at least don't get clobbered on a regular basis by the girls."

Ranma shrugged and looked bored. "It's betterrr with the Bakusai Tenketsu training."

Mousse had tears in his eyes as he stared dramatically into the wall, only a few feet off of the moon. "This training is only bringing me closer to my Shampoo and someday she will realize we were destined to be together!"

Chuckling, Ryouga agreed. "She's at least more focused after being unable to beat you into submission the last few times."

"She came close." Mousse winced as he touched a sore rib. "But I accept these taps of love as marks of our eventual union."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Rrright."

Tenchi listened closely to the other boys. They were much better than he was and were thus further along in the regime. Sometimes they were on the same field in practice, but other times Meiou-sensei would take them somewhere more isolated for special techniques. "So what have you guys been learning? Meiou-sensei has just started me on that chestnut training thing."

The pigtailed boy acknowledged Tenchi's burnt hands. "What arrre we going to be doing, Rrryouga?"

"You're moving onto the Soul of Ice technique while I'm still stuck with the Revised Speed Technique." Ryouga sniffed angrily at the speed Ranma picked up most techniques. That and he feared he'd never get out of this revised speed training where the instructors would smack him with bamboo poles and he was only allowed to dodge.

"Oh yeah. My grandfather asked her about that one," Tenchi said. "Meiou-sensei says the original training involved a locker room and half-naked women. How that helped speed training is a mystery to me."

Mousse yawned. "Speaking of training, we should get to bed. I don't feel like being flung out the window if I accidentally sleep in."

"Agreed," the rest nodded and followed Mousse's lead.

There was silence in the house again. After all the activity recently it seemed wrong for the place to be so quiet.

That was ended moments later with a squeak from the floorboards outside their room.

"Stupid, Ryouko, trying to steal my Tenchi." Ayeka clasped her hands and looked mock-innocently at the wall. "But Tenchi, the bed is so cold without you." She snorted. "Give me a break. Monster woman." Standing before the door to Tenchi's room, Ayeka adjusted her nightgown and prepared herself to enter. "Well if she can seduce Tenchi then so can I. He won't even know what hit him, hohoho!"

Inside the room four boys grew massive sweatdrops. 

"You think she knows we can hear her?" Mousse asked.

Tenchi buried his head beneath his pillow. "Oh, man."

*~*~*

Akane shook with rage as she entered the girls' bathroom. Her hand was a little red from smacking someone who'd gone through the Bakusai Tenketsu. "That perverted baka trying to sneak in here with me. And what the hell did he mean he wouldn't want to see me naked?"

Ryoko tried to make a calming gesture as the girl sat down. "Easy girl. Don't go getting your panties in a bunch. Washuu designed these so guys can't enter our bathroom no matter what. We're in a whole other dimension from them."

"Really?"

Apparently the news was a surprise to others. Ami glanced about the area. "Someone better tell Minako that. She's been searching the place for the men's side for weeks." She cocked her head suddenly. "How far does this place reach anyway?"

Ryoko shrugged. "You'd have to ask Washuu."

Ami grimaced at the thought of finding herself forced into another impromptu lecture. Washuu was interesting, but she could get a bit eccentric at times. "Uh, I think I'll just leave it a mystery."

"Good thinking," Ryoko nodded. "Still, you want to talk about perverts, you want Nobuyuki. Now that is a pervert."

"You shouldn't speak of my father-in-law like that Ryouko," said Ayeka without actually denying anything.

"Get over yourself, princess. Tenchi is mine."

Veins started to sprout on the Jurians forehead. "Why you-"

Akane tried to think about the man and couldn't recall anything bad. "What about Misaki-san? He seems all right to me."

The princess sighed. "You should have seen him before you arrived."

Ryoko started ticking off her fingers. "Peeping, taking pictures, the innuendoes . . ."

"Why's he so different now?" Akane cut in.

Both girls shrugged in shared relief. "Who knows? Maybe being surrounded by so many strong women has finally taught him a lesson."

"It might be something else," Ami suggested, pointing towards another hot spring.

"What do you mean, Ami?" Akane asked, looking over to see a redhead with her back to them.

Ami smiled. "Meiou-sensei definitely needs to learn to relax. Maybe a little pervert is what she needs?"

A cold chill snaked through Ranko's spine as she glanced at the giggling girls.

*~*~*

School. Ranko couldn't believe it. The kids actually wanted school. Since the war started, little things like that were left in the ruins. But even now, what good did that do?

It was a waste of time. Everyone here was a fighter of one type or another and would likely be fighting the rest of their lives. They were guardians or royalty. What did algebra have for them?

The fate of the world or the fate of the fate of their English test?

Cologne recruited Setsunna and the two of them ganged up on her and eventually got their way. Actually there was no doubt to the outcome when Setsunna was involved. So now after lunch there would be a few hours to let the kids learn whatever Washuu and Setsunna would be teaching them. Well, it gave Ranko some time to push herself a little harder.

"Meiou-sensei?" Ami spoke up after regaining her breath from another sparring session with her group. The Sailor Scouts mainly stayed to themselves in the training. Akane and Tenchi used to be with them, but they had been moved on to advanced training. This begged the question, "When do you expect we'll starting training with ki?"

It was a point of interest with the rest of the girls after seeing Ranma and Ryouga begin projecting their auras and using them offensively.

Ranko liked Ami because she was usually so smart. Usually.

Ami slowly became unnerved with the way Meiou-sensei was staring her in the eyes. "You don't think we'll get to the point where we can use our ki?"

Ranko sighed. "Among you only Rei can use her ki. She only has enough to make a fire get a little bigger then pass out after five minutes. Learning to use ki doesn't just happen with a little training."

It was harsh, but it drove the point home.

"I could do it," Rei muttered.

Ranko smiled indulgently. "Even after ten years of fighting you couldn't get a small battle aura flaring. Using ki requires a great deal of focus and control of your body from an early age. Maybe eventually, but we don't have time to wait."

Haruka frowned as she and Makoto stopped sparring. "What are we doing here then?"

"Look at them," Ranko said pointing off to the other fighters in training. Ranma was using his cold ki to lead Ryouga into a spiral as Cologne watched in approval. Akane stood facing off against Mousse and suffering a few cuts from his weapons. Shampoo and Tenchi were trading blows, but it was obvious Tenchi was the better. Each of them moved with grace and precision. Each of them was also glowing with ki to one degree or another.

Ranko turned back to look at the Sailor Scouts. "In this fight they are the stronger warriors. You don't have the skill or the speed to fight the Saiyajins up close. If you really want peace and justice you're going to have to fight this smart."

Most of the girls frowned. Ami considered what this enemy might be as if seeing it for the first time. Ranko could take anyone of them in a few seconds and the Saiyajins were even stronger than she was. The Sailor Scouts couldn't keep up, she was sure, so, "You want us as cover fire."

"Exactly," Ranko nodded. "You girls are the only ones with access to magic. Your strongest attacks worked very well in slowing the Saiyajins down when I needed some breathing room. But you couldn't stand up to them. So, since I can't train your magic ability I'm trying to make you strong enough to run from the Saiyajins if it becomes necessary."

Rei didn't like it. It felt like they were pieces of useless artillery. They were the Sailor Scouts and they had saved the world a dozen times already. But this they couldn't face? Her shoulders sagged. "I guess."

"Hey there, girls," Nobuyuki called from the house. "Ready for a little break? There's some lemonade in the house." He smiled as he walked over to their area with two glasses in his hands. He held one out to Ranko. "Meiou-san?"

Reaching for the glass reflexively, Ranko nodded to the man. She hadn't realizes how much of sweat she's worked up already. "Thanks." Staring up at the sky, Ranko sighed. "I didn't realize what time it was. Washuu will probably be starting your lessons soon."

"Oh!" Usagi suddenly shrieked and rushed for the house. "I didn't do my homework! Ami I don't suppose I could-"

"I thought they were tired," Ranko frowned.

Nobuyuki shrugged. "Kids these days are just full of energy."

Arched eyebrow, Ranko stared at the man for a moment and then walked for the house after the girls. "What are you doing home today? I thought you were an architect."

"I am," Nobuyuki smiled brightly. "Designed this very house, I did. I'm just between projects right now so I have a few days to myself before getting back to work."

Ranko nodded absently and stood beside him on the porch waiting for the others to return. "It's a nice house. Must have been peaceful with the shrine close by and the lake just down the hill."

Nobuyuki chuckled nervously as he heard Ayeka and Ryoko getting into another of their fights. "Peaceful is nice, but I rather like having all the girls around. It's like one big family."

Clacking of weapons halted and a cheer rose up among the fighters still on the mountain. Ranma and the rest were making mad dashes for the house when the smell of lunch reached them. Cologne and Yosho seemed to stroll through the carnage of the training grounds. It reminded Ranko of the careless way she used to treat her challenges as a kid. Fights with enemies resulted in major property damage, but she always came out on top. Ranko had started thinking she was invulnerable for a while.

She'd lost her family already. All Ranko had now were memories. The people around her looked like those she used to know, but they weren't the family she dreamed of. How could they be when they were dead.

"Take advantage of it while you still have it, Nobuyuki," Ranko advised.

Nobuyuki's tentative smile grew a little stronger as he stared at Ranko. He couldn't think of anything to say, but it didn't seem necessary either.

Behind the two adults, Minako and Makoto grinned.

*~*~*

Minako stood at the kitchen table with a stern look of wisdom on her face. "I still say nothing works better than see-through negligee." Wisdom doesn't mean intelligence.

"Do you want to suggest it to Meiou-sensei?" Ami asked. 

Minako paused dramatically and then deflated. "What else do we have?"

After listening in on the conversation between Ranko and Nobuyuki, the girls had decided there was enough interest there to work on. Who knows, maybe after this the training would lighten up a bit and they could get some real time off.

"How about getting them to have some sort of chance meeting in the bathroom like in those love stories?" Makoto suggested. Her idea on how to start relationships wasn't that far off of Minako's.

Rei shook her head. "That only happens in mangas."

Suddenly, Usagi felt inspired. "Oh, we get Misaki-san to challenge her to a duel and when he defeats her he sweeps Meiou-sensei off of her feet and they ride off into the sunset on a white horse."

". . ."

Makoto pat Usagi's head gently and put a cookie into the girl's hands. "You've been reading those samurai mangas Misaki has stashed in that basement, haven't you?"

"Those things are rotting your small brain, meatball head," Rei growled.

The Outers had been pulled into this meeting as well, and while they hadn't contributed, the amusement value was enough reason to stay. Michiru sighed against Haruka's shoulder while her lover bit her lip to keep from laughing. Hotaru was fortunately tied up keeping Ryouga from wandering off and Setsunna was somewhere else.

Another lady did walk into their meeting however. Nodoka looked about the assembled girls. "What are you girls up to in here?"

"Oh, nothing." Minako put her hands behind her head and chuckled nervously.

Nodoka arched an eyebrow. "Really?" Moving in closer to inspect the girls' faces she asked, "It sounded like you were plotting something. Not thinking of sneaking into my son's bed at night, were you?"

"No!" A few girls did blush, but the one time Makoto had flirted with the boy Akane showed up with a flaming mallet. Ranma was apparently taken.

"Oh." Nodoka sounded slightly disappointed. "So what were you planning?"

Makoto grinned a bit. "Uh, we were thinking of ways to help Meiou-sensei loosen up."

"Ranko?" Nodoka thought about the woman and had to nod. "She is a bit serious. A little fun couldn't hurt. What have you come up with?"

The girls told the Saotome matriarch some of their best ideas as the woman listened patiently. When they were done she shook her head. 

"Oh no, those would never do. We couldn't make Ranko or Nobuyuki do anything themselves. Men would make of such plans and Ranko is too prideful. But Nobuyuki is very manly and is just what Ranko needs."

Ami sighed in relief. This might have been her idea, but her friends' plans were just a bit over the top. "What do you suggest, auntie?" 

Nodoka paused a moment to consider, and then a broad smile spread across her face.

The Inners smiled in response.

Haruka and Michiru felt a wave of dread.

Tenchi backed away from the kitchen slowly. He didn't need a snack that badly.

A minute later the group broke apart to set things in motion. As some of the girls began to work in the kitchen, others went exploring through the house, and Nodoka headed straight for the dojo.

As usual, Ranko and Ranma were moving at best possible speeds to beat the hell out of each other and call it training. Most of it Nodoka couldn't even begin to follow. She was proud of her manly son though. To find such a pretty teacher and be surrounded by so many lovely young ladies.

Ranko stepped back as Ranma lunged at her with a speed punch. "Good." A breeze brushed her hair off of her shoulder and she turned around to find Ranma bouncing off the dojo wall and returning with a sidekick. She chopped down at his ankle and palm thrust him in the sternum. "Keep your guard up, Ranma."

A longer exchange began as both fighters blurred and bound about the room. Ranko kept to blocking and dodging for a moment and them moved in to pass through Ranma's punches. One second he was standing up against her and the next he was planted like cheap wallpaper on the other side of the room. "A little faster on the return next time." 

Ranma groaned as he picked himself back up.

Ranko smirked and waved him on with her hand. She planted herself firmly as Ranma charged in again and this time knocked away his attacks with her superior strength. He was taller than her, but she had the experience and power to more than make up for it. It was comical in a way to see a man being easily taken by a small woman. As Ranma became tired he also became sloppy. Ranko made sure he understood that. "Close up that hole!"

The pigtailed boy's eyes crossed as he fell to his knees with his crotch protectively in his hands.

Nodoka stepped in then with a cheery smile. "Ranma!"

"Huh?"

Her smile fell to motherly concern. "You haven't finished your homework yet, have you? Washuu-chan told me you weren't doing very well in her class."

Ranma blinked. A moment ago he'd been fighting at a level unthinkable only half a year ago. Now his mother wanted him to stop because his education wasn't so great? "Ah, mom," he whined.

Ranko decided to help Nodoka out and let Ranma leave with a little dignity that would have been swiped away with embarrassment. She mussed the boy's hair. "You're doing much better, Ranma. I didn't think you'd progress this much so quickly. You better go take care of your homework and rest."

Nodoka looked at her significantly. "And you, Ranko-chan. You skipped dinner again to continue training."

Shrugging, Ranko followed the mother and son out. "I suppose I should."

"We left some food for you in there. Come along Ranma," Nodoka indicated with a wave of her hand and then dragged Ranma along with her. She opened the door to the girls' room on the second floor. "Here."

Ranma's eyes opened wide in surprise. "But that's the girrrls' room."

An equally surprised Akane stared back at the two.

Without waiting, Nodoka shoved her son inside and closed the door behind him. She had to get back down to see how everything else was going. "Study hard, Ranma. I'm sure Akane-chan can help you!"

At the same time, Minako and Usagi had found Nobuyuki hiding out in his den. With a little coercion they had him heading for the dining room. 

"I'm not that hungry, really," Nobuyuki complained while being manhandled by two teenage girls.

Minako squeezed the arm she held behind the man's back. "Trust us, Misaki-san. You look famished and you wouldn't want the food to go to waste, would you?"

Nobuyuki whimpered over the loss of feeling from his elbow down. "I suppose."

"Great."

Usagi waved happily as Nobuyuki was tossed into the room and the door closed behind him. The two girls rushed for the kitchen where the others were obviously watching.

Another door opened and Ranko took a look inside the room. She frowned upon seeing two lit candles. Did the power go out? She tested the light switch. "Why are the lights so dim in here?" She noticed the other person in the room a moment later. "Nobuyuki?"

The man blushed and made a small wave with his hand. "Eh, hello, Ranko."

"Were you working late too?" She indicated the two dinners and sat down.

Suddenly feeling the need to eat, Nobuyuki sat across from the redhead. "Sort of."

Ranko took in the aroma deeply. "Smells good."

"Yes," he agreed though he hadn't quite noticed the food yet. Ranko was eating for a minute before Nobuyuki realized he'd been staring. "S-So, uh, how is training coming along?"

Ranko paused in her eating to give the question some serious thought. "Not bad. I think the Sailor Scouts have nearly capped their abilities. I'll have to move on to strategy in a little while."

Nobuyuki nodded. "Is Tenchi doing well?"

"Pretty good." She watched the man puff up in pride a bit. "He's not at the physical ability of the other martial artists, but his practice with the Light Hawk will really come in handy defensively."

"That's my boy. I know he'd do great things in his life." A lull was hit in the conversation. Nobuyuki picked at his food and tried a bit. It was good. The girls must have made this special. He glanced at the redhead again and tried to swallow his nervousness. "Uh, well, Ranko . . . -chan. You're a very attractive young lady and I was wondering if possibly-"

Ranko's mind suddenly went into overdrive as she reviewed what she had seen thus far. Dim lights, candles, the see-through negligee Nodoka had stuffed into her pocket . . . "Uh, w-wait, Nobuyuki. I'm . . . I'm a lesbian." Close enough anyway.

Nobuyuki paused. "Lesbian?"

Someone in the kitchen started moaning.

Michiru jabbed them in the ribs. "Stop it, Haruka."

Nobuyuki blinked again. ". . . oh. Sorry about that."

Ranko mistook the man's hesitation for dejection. "Right. I mean, you're nice'n'all, but I just-"

Nobuyuki waved it aside as he went a little glassy-eyed. "Oh, I understand, Ranko. You can't blame a man for trying!" A gut-wrenching laugh broke through the room. 

"I guess not." Ranko stared at the man oddly when a little blood started running out of his nose. "Nobuyuki?" His teeth shown through his grin and Ranko could swear she heard him muttering her name. She learned forward to hear better. "Huh?"

Nobuyuki continued to whisper. "Hehehe."

". . ." Ranko blinked and her face turned a bright red. Shocked, she jerked back and picked up one hand. "Pervert!"

SLAP!

Washuu took a sip of her tea as she sat at the kitchen table. "Thought it was obvious myself."

"With age comes experience," Setsunna intoned with a voice of wisdom.

"Indeed," Cologne agreed.

From upstairs, one of the bedroom doors opened and a pigtailed boy was sent toppling down the stairs followed by an irate scream. "Pervert!"

Nodoka and the Sailor Scouts sighed in defeat.

End Chapter Two

***

Not as long as before and not quite as exciting, but my stories are more than just fighting, unlike Dragonball Z.

Send C&C to jehtek@hotmail.com

Or visit my website at www.geocities.com/jehtek

Ja ne.


	3. chapter three

Disclaimer: Um . . . look over there!

. . .

All right. I think the owners of Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon, and Dragonball Z are gone. This is another one of my fun fanfics. Enjoy.

**__**

Savior

Chapter Three

By Michael Fetter

Life wasn't just training and eating at the Masaki Shrine. Since Ranko had been talked into allowing schooling for a few hours a day, there was also sleep. Washuu and Setsunna did their best, but people like Ranma and Ryouga just couldn't muster the interest for school after witnessing the huge leap in their power levels since training began. Others thought of it as rest time between morning and afternoon training. 

Then, of course, there was Ami and Akane, who were given dark glares when they received good marks for their exams. Apparently the grades they received here would be placed in their actual high school grade report.

Sasami would sit in on these classes as well since she was still young and Auntie Saotome insisted. 

It was nice having Auntie around. Sasami had more time to do other things and pick up the chores that Tenchi could not get to anymore. Ranko couldn't turn everything into training after all.

Sitting beside the garden, Sasami reached out to a withering brown plant. "Oh, poor little guys. You've been neglected since Tenchi-niichan has had to start training with Meiou-san." She plucked it out and frowned at the shriveled carrot. "I wish there was something I could do, but I'm pretty busy too." Sasami tossed it away and placed her hand on the ground and considered. "Maybe Mihoshi or Ayeka could help?"

Humming, Sasami collected the empty basket and headed for the house.   
"Hmm." From another direction, the universe's greatest scientific genius wandered into the area following a beep from her portable scanner. "That strange signal is coming from here somewhere." Washuu glanced about the carrot patch for something out of place. Her eyes eventually settled upon a hand print in the soil. "Hello, what have we here?" From the very center of the print a little green stalk was slowly worming its way to the sun. Washuu tried examining more closely and smirked to herself. "Interesting. You're going to be my little guinea pig, okay? Okay!"

Opening a convenient hole in the universe, Washuu transplanted the strange weed into her lab and jumped in after it, cackling.

"Miyah?" Ryo-oh-ki shrugged, her hunt for the perfect carrot a total bust.

*~*~*

Several days later, a young man entered the area. Mamoru looked about the peaceful area and thought it must be a nice place for a shrine. So peaceful. He made it to the door and knocked. "Hello? Anyone here?"

The door opened after a few quiet moments and an older woman with dark red hair and flower-print kimono greeted him. "Good afternoon. Can I help you, young man?"

Who did she remind him of? Mamoru bowed. "Yeah. I'm looking for Usagi. I was told she'd be here."

The woman smiled and bowed back. "Oh, yes. I think she and her friends are training up by the shrine today. My name is Nodoka Saotome."

"Mamoru Chiba. A pleasure."

Smiling wider, Nodoka started leading Mamoru through the house. It was quiet during the mornings when everyone was up at the shrine for more space. "Such a nice young man. I see why Usagi-chan talks about you so much. I'll take you to her."

"Thank you," Mamoru answered a little embarrassed. Knowing Usagi she probably talked the poor lady's ear off about her 'Mamo-chan'. It wasn't bad really. It was just the way Usagi was. 

The walk ended up being longer than he thought it would be. There were a lot of steps leading up to the shrine. When he reached the courtyard his legs hurt a little, but the woman was still calm, having traveled the distance many times before. Mamoru could hardly believe it when he looked around and found his girlfriend leaping about the area more gracefully than she could as Sailor Moon. "Usagi?"

Usagi paused in mid air and made a small turn to see who had called her. "Oh, hi, Mamo-chan!" She landed easily on her hands and rolled forward onto her feet. Usagi popped up right in front of Mamoru and hugged him tightly. "Are you on break?"

Still stunned, Mamoru was a little slow in responding. "Yeah. I've got the week off before I have to go back." He kissed her on the cheek and smiled, obviously impressed with whomever had turned his goose into a swan. "What were you doing? It was beautiful."

Usage grinned broadly. "Like it? Meiou-sensei has been teaching us a whole lot. I'm really strong now and not such a big klutz neither!"

Mamoru nodded. "Where is your amazing sensei. I should congratulate her on her achievement."

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi tried to look upset, but she was too happy to see him again. Instead she slapped his shoulder playfully.

Grabbing her around the shoulders, Mamoru hugged her again. "Do you have some time off, Usagi. I thought we could go out tonight."

The blonde squealed and jumped giddily. "Sure! Let me just get MEIOU-SENSEI!"

Mamoru winced and cleaned out his ears when they began to ring.

A moment later a woman surrounded in white flames dropped from the sky slowly. Ranko looked at Mamoru and Nodoka and then Usagi. "You bellowed?"

Licking his dry lips, Mamoru stared incredulously at the redhead. "She-she . . . did she . . . just fly?"

Usagi ignored him and presented her most adorable expression she could. "Can I get the rest of the weekend off? Mamo-chan just got some free time and we were-"

"No," Ranko answered sharply with a frown. "Usagi, you and the other Scouts aren't strong enough yet to think of taking some time off."

Adding a sparkle to her eyes, Usagi leaned in closer. No one had ever resister her before. "But we've been working so hard. Don't you think we deserve a break?"

Ranko looked ready to gag, but then she grinned. "All right. I'll let you go if you can beat me."

Usagi's cuteness was cut off abruptly and she took a step back. That had not been a nice grin at all. "What?"

A little disapproval in her voice, Nodoka tried to get between the girls. "Ranko-chan, I'm sure it-"

Ranko pushed Nodoka aside and stared at the blonde. "Let's go, Tsukino."

Fear entering her eyes, Usagi shook her head and tried to hide behind a nervous Mamoru. "B-But I don't want to fight you."

Ranko stood up straight and shrugged. "Then you don't go."

Others had been drawn to the area when Usagi had bellowed before. Now the group of fighters was grumbling protests. None of them wanted to speak out against their sensei, but they did find this a little unfair. One who had been getting the most advanced training in the group stood forward. "Ranko, we are not at war yet. Usagi and the rest are young and should enjoy the peace while they can."

Ranko frowned at the purple-haired woman. "This is a bad idea, Cologne." They stared at each other in the eyes and Ranko's frown deepened. Even if she were training the youthenized old woman, Cologne still had more experience with training fighters. Ranko studied the others and curled her lip with distaste. "Is this how the rest of you feel? Do you want a vacation and take the result of such selfishness?"

Yosho stood beside Cologne with his bokken resting against his shoulder. "A perfect warrior is at balance with himself and the world around him. The children have been put under a lot stress since this began."

Many of the others agreed with him, mainly the Sailor Scouts. The real martial artists were indifferent considering they lived for becoming stronger.

Ranma too shrugged, speaking with a purr, "I'm good."

Akane elbowed the boy in the ribs. "Baka."

"Fine." Glaring at this weakness, Ranko snorted and waved her hand in dismissal. "And when the world comes to an end, don't come whining to me." She disappeared into the woods to continue her training.

Sighing, Cologne noted the guilty looks of those around her. She gestured for them to leave. "I think that will be it for today. I'm going to talk with Ranko."

The group felt bad about the whole thing, but they did need a break. Most of them decided that they'd be able to work even harder after a little rest and Ranko-sensei wouldn't be disappointed. It was their world she was trying to help them save. A world she had already seen lost.

Slowly they trickled down the mountainside and made plans for their vacation.

Cologne tried to understand where her friend was coming from when she blew up at the group. Having been a matriarch of the Amazons for almost two hundred years, Cologne knew there were ways in which a leader should not act in front of a team. Ranko's inability to compromise could push people away. It may come to a point that they may not want to save their world if it meant putting up with her.

Then there was the obvious disgust Ranko had shown for the group. How did she plan to save those she hated?

Finding Ranko wasn't very hard. Cologne only had to follow the small trail of overturned trees and shattered boulders to find the redhead being cradled by Sailor Pluto.

Ranko buried her head in Setsunna's chest to hide her face. "Don't they care? This is their only chance and they want to dash it all away for ice cream?"

Patting the redhead's back, Setsunna tried to soothe her. "They aren't the only ones that could use a vacation, Ranko-chan. It might do you some good to relax, clear your mind."

Cologne smiled sadly. So, Ranko cared after all. It was impossible for Cologne to completely understand where Ranko's emotions were coming from, but she understood the why a little better now.

Ranko's shoulders sagged and her arms held Setsunna close. "Maybe."

*~*~*

With her spirit recharged, Akane jumped out of the Masaki home and called back towards the door. "Come on, you guys. I haven't been to Shinjuku in a long time. You'll love it." 

Akane was all smiles when the proposal for a vacation was made. She did like the training, but she was also starting to feel out of touch with the world. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to wear something other than a gi. The yellow sundress felt almost elegant to her now.

"I'm not surrre," Ranma said uncertainly as he followed at a slower pace, wearing his usual Chinese shirt and black pants. He didn't spend much time in cities and going out to buy useless things didn't sound that fun to him. Probably a girl thing he decided. Still, his mother said it would be manly for him to escort Akane around.

The others walked out of the house a second later. Most had gone off on their own, but the Amazons, having little experience in Japan, decided to accompany Ranma and Akane. Though it was supposed to be a vacation, the two stubbornly refused to change out of their usual attire just as Ranma did. Hopefully Mousse and Shampoo wouldn't have problems with gate security at the train station.

Pouting, but following, Shampoo crossed her arms and walked alongside of Mousse. The vacation had been an order from her great grandmother; otherwise she'd be training right now. "Shampoo want be stronger, but must not tire self out."

Mousse was a little more pleased with the outing, though he had to restrain himself from putting an arm around Shampoo. "Yes. Meiou-sensei has done very well in teaching us, but a little break will help too. Washuu-chan tells me that Ranko-sensei has been talked into giving us the weekends from now on as time off."

Ranma shrugged. He'd likely stay behind most of the time and train or spar with his training partners. Frowning, he looked about the area hoping to spot his fanged friend. "What about Rrryouga?"

Chuckling, Mousse grinned at Ranma. "I think I saw Hibiki being dragged off by young Hotaru."

Shampoo smiled. "Hotaru too too possessive, yes?"

The group laughed as they remembered various scenes with Hotaru leading the older boy around by the hand. His face was always red from embarrassment, whether it is from the girl's forward attitude or Hotaru's adoptive parents spying on him.

The voices died down as they left the area and disappeared down the mountain. Ranko sat atop the roof watching them all go. Her emotions had been tucked away once again and she took the event in impassively.

"And there they go," she muttered. Even Nodoka and Nobuyuki had taken off.

Standing beside her were Washuu and Cologne, both of who were more focused on the problem and have lived long enough to not need anymore of this growing up. Cologne glanced down at the redhead and then back to the blue horizon. "What will you be doing in this short respite?"

Ranko sighed and stretched out her back tiredly. "I'll go train on my own."

Catching a bit of frustration, Washuu-chan tried to distract her friend's mind. The past few months Ranko had gained very little in power from all of her training. "You could help me test a few of the things I've come up with to fight the Saiyajins."

"You've developed something?" Cologne asked. She was the most advanced of Ranko's students, but even she could use a little help to even fight Ranko effectively. Washuu had done some impressive things with her science in the time Cologne had come here and was interested in anything she had to offer.

Washuu's smile became hesitant. "Yes. Although shooting the transport is nearly impossible at the speed they will be entering the solar system I have a few cannons set up. Maybe we'll get lucky." She reached into a subspace pocket and removed a black bodysuit. Washuu had moved faster on their creation after the fifth time Michiru had come to her with a complaint about Haruka's distraction. Apparently Ranko's bodysuit was beginning to show signs of wear and tear. "I've replicated that material you use for armor, Ranko. I'll have enough for each of the fighters without a magical defense."

The redhead nodded once feeling the material and testing its strength. "That'll be something."

"I have some ideas for amplifying your ki blasts through a solenoid reactor, but I'll need you to test them. They might be able to boost the effects ten times, hopefully."

Ranko nodded indifferently. She hadn't looked at either of the two women since the conversation had started and they wondered where her mind might be.

Cologne could see a person with heavy thoughts and knew Ranko truly did need a break and a chance to forget things for a while. Catching Washuu's eye, Cologne grabbed Ranko's arm and lifted the girl to her feet. "Why don't you show me around Japan while Washuu-chan doesn't need your help?"

Washuu nodded encouragingly. "Oh yes. I don't think I'll be ready to get started for a little while. Have fun!"

Cologne smiled as Washuu disappeared and stared into her friend's melancholy eyes. Ranko lived in a past that was not theirs and it would be a long time before she joined them in the present.

*~*~*

Most of the children began returning to the shrine at the end of the week. Ranko was there sitting across a Go board playing against Washuu and losing. She was thankful for the distractions the others caused.

Definitely a better interruption than watching Luna getting jealous over Ryo-oh-ki spending time with Artemis. That's just kind of creepy.

The front door opened and Nodoka returned with Sasami, a balloon tied around the girl's wrist.

Ranko glanced their way and then back to the board. "Where did you two head off to?"

Sasami gushed and hopped onto the couch beside the others. "Auntie took me to a carnival. It was lots of fun! We got cotton candy, went on rides, and saw a haunted house. It was great!"

Cologne smiled at the girl. Children in the Amazon village were not so bright and cheerful and it made Cologne feel good to be here. She and Ranko had flown around Japan and ended up spending most of their time at the beach. Cologne had been slightly flustered by the amount of attention she was getting from men again.

"Has my son returned yet?" asked Nodoka after setting down a stuffed, pink bear Sasami must have won at a carnival game.

Ranko nodded. "He and Akane went out again."

"So manly."

An explosion interrupted Ranko's move on the Go board and she frowned at the back yard. The others looked at her questioningly.

Washuu frowned as well and answered for Ranko. "Shampoo had some argument with Akane and started training on her own. She's been testing out my Ki-cannon for me."

The Amazon entered the room then, lovingly stroking the strange armband on her lift wrist. "Aiyah. Shampoo strong, yes?" She of course said this straight to Ranko.

The redhead snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "You think that impresses me? A really warrior doesn't depend on tools to fight their battles."

Shampoo snarled and clenched her fists. Her mind returned to the argument with Akane over who was the best martial artist. Her face colored at how easily Akane had knocked Shampoo across the room without even trying. "Shampoo Amazon! Amazon warrior strongest in world! Shampoo not lose to silly girl again!"

"Yes, you said that before," Ranko sneered and glared at the girl. She really wished Ranma and Ryouga had let the Amazon drown on the swim to Japan.

Forestalling her great-granddaughter, Cologne examined Ranko closely. "The one from your time?"

Ranko ignored the others to glare at Shampoo. She felt herself losing control of her anger and needed release. "You want to know why I don't like you, Shampoo? I'll tell you." Ranko glowered when the girl began to back off. "Back in my time you and Akane were fighting over Ranma for a husband. When the war started you both tried to prove you were the better fighter. At the time you were stronger because Akane hadn't trained seriously in years. Then one day you were captured by invasion forces. Akane and a friend risked their lives to go in after you. When they got you out, you struck them while they were resting. Cut their Achilles tendon and let the invasion capture them." Ranko's eyes misted, but she blinked them clear again. "Akane wasn't willing to go without a fight so they killed her. I don't know what happened to her friend."

Shampoo wasn't sure if she wanted to press further, but she couldn't believe she would be so cowardly. The others were already staring at her with a frown though. "How you know? Why you not save?"

Ranko looked away. "I was too late. They kept me off until the Saiyajins came." 

Her face turned cold. Shampoo shivered at her penetrating gaze. "You were so happy you told your 'airen' about how you made sure those girls wouldn't get in the way anymore." Ranko began to grin like a predator. "He ripped off your clothes, dragged you to one of the enemy bases, and left you there. I remember you screaming for days before they took you off-world."

Fighting off tears, Shampoo shook her head violently. "Shampoo not do that. Shampoo not coward. Not do that!"

Ranko cocked her head to one side and considered. "You don't seem very different from her to me."

Bottom lip quivering, Shampoo tore off the Ki-cannon and tossed it to the ground before running away. Ranko watched for a moment then turned away, uncaring. The others looked uncomfortable, but she was too busy with her own thoughts.

Cologne eventually stood up. "I should go talk to her."

The room was again silent.

The stone in Ranko's hand clicked against the board. It was Washuu's turn. Ayeka walked into the living room and frowned.

"Where is she? I just know that dirty Ryouko is doing something with my Tenchi," Ayeka muttered darkly.

Still a little angry, Ranko glared at the princess. "Why not, Ayeka? She is carrying his child."

Ayeka huffed and stomped off to a different room.

Washuu arched an eyebrow. "Feeling confrontational today?"

"You did want me to relax," Ranko replied.

"I was thinking eating ice cream and watching movies."

Ranko didn't want to relax. After fighting for so many years, this bit of peace was beginning to put the redhead on edge. 

The front door opened again and Akane entered the house with her hand in Ranma's. "Hi, Meiou-sensei."

Ranko glanced up to see Mu Tsu and the Outer Scouts with them. Akane was wearing a black skirt and blue sweater. "You seem chipper."

Mu Tsu chuckled at Ranma's nervous stuttering. Akane refused to let go of his hand. "We went ice skating and they got into a fight with someone called the Golden Pair."

"Ranma screamed that Akane was his girlfrrrrriend when Mikado Senazin tried to kiss her," Haruka chuckled when she rolled her 'r' the way Ranma would. 

"It was very sweet," Michiru added.

"Then it got brutal," said Akane.

Ranko looked at Ranma in surprise. "You know how to skate?"

Before Ranma could answer, Akane jabbed him in the ribs with a glare. "Not really. He just flew very close to the surface to make it look like it though."

"It worrrked," Ranma shrugged.

Haruka smirked and leaned in close. "Rrright."

"Good forrr you," Mu Tsu stuck out his tongue.

Ranma stared at the floor and pouted. "Jerrrrks." The group chuckled and his face flushed further.

He was saved from further embarrassment as more people arrived at the shrine. They could all hear Ryo-oh-ki's distinctive meow as she entered the yard. 

"Oh, carry me over the threshold, husband!"

"Ryouko," Tenchi whined, but he strolled into the room with a pregnant Ryouko lying contentedly in his arms. People stared at the white dress and tuxedo with raised eyebrows. Tenchi chuckled nervously. "Uh, hi everyone."

"Miyah!" Ryo-oh-ki announced, bounding into Sasami's lap.

Washuu smiled winsomely. "You got married?"

Tenchi blushed, but held his wife tighter to his chest. His voice nearly cracked several times. "Ryouko wanted to go to Las Vegas and well. . ."

"NOOOOO!"

Ryouko rolled her head to find Ayeka by the stairs and held out her hand with the big sparkly rock on her finger. "See it and weep, princess."

Tenchi winced and found himself awkwardly trying to hold off Ayeka's attacks and carrying Ryouko up to her bedroom.

Washuu shook her head and put down her last stone, winning the game. "I should probably make a honeymoon room, or they'll keep us up from now on."

Ranko smiled for a moment, but then it faded away as the past resurfaced in her thoughts. The marriage wouldn't last and she knew it. Death severed all ties. The war had taught Ranko, if nothing else, that nothing was forever.

Suddenly walking by the back door seemingly at random, Hotaru trailed after Ryouga dressed in a bikini with a towel thrown over her shoulder. "I thought we were going to the beach, Ryouga-kun."

"It's around here somewhere, Hotaru-chan." Ryouga insisted, big sweating when he ran into Haruka and Michiru at the porch.

*~*~*

For months he had searched. To be separated form his one true love had driven Tatewaki to near madness until he had finally given in to Nabiki's price. It was high, but to only glimpse upon his fierce tigress, Akane Tendou, once more would be worth any price. 

Now he stood at the base of a shrine. No doubt the demons that had captured her thought to avoid detection by the gods in tainting this holy place. Pulling his bokken free, Tatewaki jeered at the empty path. "So, vile cur. You seek to hide my fierce tigress in the woods?! The Blue Thunder shall end thy plots to keep me from my heart!"

Thunder crackled in the distance.

Up near the house, Ranma's ear twitched and he looked about the area. "You hearrrr something?" he asked Akane sitting beside him.

She looked up quickly to the house with hope. "Is it Ryouko?!"

Not long after her marriage to Tenchi, Ryouko was ready to give birth to her child. Nothing had been said about the baby to keep it a surprise.

Over the many months of training, each of the fighters had come to know one another as friends and family. Ranko had even called off the day's training for the latest arrival. Although, she had distanced herself from the group once again and it made many of them wonder what Ranko was thinking. 

Ranko glanced up to the clear sky, lost in thought. Something about the timeframe of their upcoming battle distracted her. "Didn't something happen around this time?"

The house suddenly exploded with voices as Washuu opened her lab door. She stood proudly in her adult form with an infant wrapped up in her arms. Several girls squealed and cooed at the sight of the precious child.

"It's a girl!" Washuu proclaimed. The infant rested despite all of the faces trying to get a look at her.

Akane smiled brightly and held onto Ranma's hand, making him blush. She sighed happily at the baby and then looked over at Ranko. "Aren't you going to look, sensei?"

Ranko waved her hand dismissively. "I remember her."

"She's so cute!" Usagi gushed, sparkles in her eyes.

Minako poked at the child. "Look at those little hands!"

The infant grabbed the finger lightly and brought a response from all. "Awww!"

Ranma stared at the child for a moment. He knew that human babies didn't have hair when they were born, but there were already some blue-gray locks on her head. "What's herrr name?"

Washuu brushed her hand over her granddaughter's cheek. "Everyone, this is Jubei."

Of course, now would be the time for someone to interrupt.

"SAOTOME!" Tatewaki rushed forward from the undergrowth with his bokken held high. "The Blue Thunder shall free his Akane Tendou from your evil grasp! I charge!"

"Huh?" Ranma turned to stare at the oddball attacking him and then remembered whom he was standing in front of. Remaining stationary, Ranma caught the bokken with a slight sting in his palm. "Watch it!"

Akane's face burned with anger. "Kuno! How did you find me?!"

The kendoist struggled to pull his bokken out of Ranma's grasp. "Fear not, my fierce tigress, your mercenary sister hath revealed this dog's treachery. For any other man to claim you as his slave, I shall not allow it!"

Ranma snarled and crushed the bokken into splinters. Before Tatewaki even realized what was happening, he was being lifted a hundred feet into the air by his neck. Ranma quickly worked him over in a way that would leave Tatewaki pissing blood for a month. 

The boy was already shaking in fear and pain when Ranma glared right into Tatewaki's eyes. "You'rrre lucky I don't hurrrrt you worrrrse. If I see you again I will not be so nice. Underrrstand?"

Tatewaki shook his head quickly at the sinister voice and then screamed when he was simply dropped.

Ranko examined the injured kendoist and then the flying Ranma with an arched brow. It was no surprise to her that Tatewaki had followed them. She had been expected him sooner though. "Hmm, looks like I can up Ranma's training again." 

*~*~*

Akane returned home the next day, but the visit was bound to be unpleasant. She tore open her sister's locked door to glare at the mercenary directly.

"Nabiki," Akane hissed.

Noting, the broken door, Nabiki nodded to her sister drolly. "Akane, how nice of you to visit us."

"You sent Kuno after me."

The girl grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, but he paid me very well. Didn't hurt him too badly did you?"

"Ranma made him piss his pants after Kuno almost struck a newborn," Akane snapped. She was more than just angry, Akane was disappointed. Her sister had always been a little money hungry, but things had almost gone too far this time. Akane loved her family, but she also hated it sometimes too. "You're little joke almost got a child killed the same day it was born. Don't you think of anything besides money? You knew Kuno was going to go off the deep end like that."

Nabiki's winced and her smile faltered. Akane had yelled at her before, but never so angrily or with such authority. Her sister had changed. "I didn't know he'd attack a child."

Pursing her lips, Akane jabbed her sister with a finger. "Stay away, Nabiki. What I'm doing is important and I don't want you ruining things because you like money."

Akane didn't make it to the door before Nabiki leapt off of her bed and pushed Akane to the wall to sneer into the girl's face. "Hey! That money is what keeps us living in this nice house, little sister! It puts food on the table and clothes on your back! Daddy isn't doing anything so don't you tell me how to do things until you start bringing a little in! Those cinder blocks cost money, y'know!" 

Akane didn't flinch at the screaming, nor did she show any compassion.

They stared at each other for a few more minutes before Nabiki turned away. She wasn't proud of the depths she had to go to keep the family afloat, but there was nothing else she could have done. 

She let her sister go and Nabiki stared at her blank wall. These things weren't her fault.

Ranko stood in the doorway next. 

"What do you want?" Nabiki snapped. If she had seen just how powerful Ranko was and how short her patience was, Nabiki might have been more cautious. 

As it was, Ranko simply entered the room and dropped a stack of yen notes onto the girl's desk. Nabiki watched her curiously and then panicked when Ranko pulled out the loose floorboard and removed the hidden tin box with all of her blackmail schemes inside. "I'll be taking this in exchange since you'll be giving up your business," said Ranko as she passed by the girl.

Nabiki swallowed, fearing she might be in a lot of trouble if Ranko decided to do anything with the contents of that box.

Kasumi met Ranko on her way out and bowed to the redhead. "It was nice to see you again, Meiou-san."

Ranko glanced into the living room where Tofu sat with a cup of tea in his hand and fog in his glasses. She nodded to the eldest daughter. "And you Kasumi-chan, Tofu-sensei."

*~*~*

Several months later, Ryouga was flying through the air as easily as Ranma. The two were definitely the most promising of Ranko's students. Ryouga would be even better if he could put aside his temper a little better. "You won't escape me this time, Ranma!" Ryouga declared with a glowing fist ready to sock his sparring partner in the jaw.

Ranma floated casually in a defensive stance. "Shoelaces arrre untied."

Ryouga paused and looked down. "Huh?"

Snickering, Ranma flew forward and kicked Ryouga into the ground twenty feet below. He grinned at the boy crawling out of the crater. "Idiot."

"Ha!"

"Ack!" Ranma just barely dodged a red ki-blast that nearly took him in the chest.

On the ground and waving her fist, Akane yelled at him. "Don't ignore me! You remember what Meiou-sensei did last time?!"

Ranma winced and unconsciously rubbed the side of his head where he was hit with a dozen ki blasts the last time. "Hehehe. Don't worrrry. I'm not ignorrrin ya. I'm just waitin forrr ya ta come up herrre."

"Ranma." Akane began to glow brighter. "No!" Both fists were at her side. "BAKA!" And she flew like an arrow.

A falling meteorite would look less intimidating. Meteorite's weren't packing heavy ki laden fists after all. Ranma crossed his arms over his face. "eep."

A little further away, Ranko watched the group of fighters training. A new light burned in many of them once Ranma and Ryouga started flying on a regular basis. Mousse and Shampoo were trying much harder especially since they were not far behind Ranma and Ryouga in terms of skill. Even the Scouts were entering their training with a little more vigor.

Struggling through her fourth hour in the air, Cologne shook her head at the antics of Ranko's favorite students. "I really didn't expect them to get to this level so quickly no matter how good they were."

Smiling, Ranko nodded. "I'm a little surprised myself, but I've been having you all flex your ki constantly for more than a year now." She chuckled when Akane pulled out her mallet and started chasing Ranma through the forest with Ryouga trailing behind yelling encouragement. "Of course, it would've been harder without someone to show them how to fly in the first place."

"Indeed," Cologne nodded. She was proud of her own achievements since beginning her training with Ranko. Who would have thought an old woman could learn to fly amongst the clouds like a child. But not all in the sky were children. Cologne examined her sensei again with a little disappointment. "Washuu tells me your power has become stagnant around six thousand."

"I've hit a wall," Ranko agreed. Though she said it casually, Cologne could tell how much it pained her. "I might be at the limit of my potential. Hopefully, we can over power the Saiyajins with numbers rather than power."

Ranma must have dropped further into the Neko-ken's power because they heard him hiss. A moment later, Akane came running out of the forest, firing ki blasts behind her. The pig-tailed boy either dodged or swatted the attacks out of his way, holding Akane's belt in his grinning mouth.

"How are the others coming along?" Cologne asked, glancing over the other training areas. Some of the children had stopped to laugh at Ranma and Akane's antics.

"A few of the Sailor Scouts might be ready for the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken soon, especially Uranus. Yosho is teaching Tenchi how to manipulate his Jurian energy now that he has proper focus. Mousse is tossing around ki blasts now, but he won't be flying for a while." Ranko grimaced, but continued evenly. "And despite all of my doubts, Shampoo has learned the Amazon secret techniques."

Cologne knew Ranko would probably never forget what the Shampoo of her world did, but she was starting to divide the two images. It wasn't quite forgiveness, but she had heard Ranko gruffly informing Shampoo on occasion how to overcome some of her obstacles. "Yes, she has improved much thanks to you. Shampoo told me how you helped her gain focus."

Ranko pretended not to hear. "I think I'll teach a few of the Saotome Forbidden Techniques next. Most of them are useless at our levels, but a few are pretty damned impressive." Taking a deep breath, Ranko turned in the air to face off against her most advanced student. If it were just skill, Cologne would be giving Ranko a run for her money. As it was, Ranko looked only slightly winded while Cologne was sweating through the body armor Washuu had given her. "Rested?" Ranko commanded more than asked.

Cologne swallowed and put up her hands. ". . . Ready."

Energy formed in Ranko's hands and she tossed them about like confetti at Cologne's panicked and fleeing body. "Dance, little girl! Dance! Hohohohoho!"

Cologne sweated as she was tossed by the explosion of a near miss. "Does she have to laugh like that?"

*~*~*

Some relationships were tougher than others were. Ranma and Akane didn't have the love hate engagement that Ranko remembered, but something more competitive. And even though Ranma was still the stronger, the two teenagers seemed to play on a level field. It was so different from her memories; Ranko was starting to doubt she had ever been that boy.

During one weekend out, Ryouga had apparently run into Akari and accidentally defeated her sumo pig. It could have been a real mess to have the lost boy become distracted by the attentions of more than one girl. Ryouga had only recently become accustomed to Hotaru's forward behavior and started to mellow out a bit.

When Akari tried to insist that Ryouga was her fiancé, Hotaru promptly clobbered the sumo pig as well and sent the pig farmer packing.

Ah, young love.

Odder still was the relationship between Tenchi and Ryouko. February of the second year of their training, Yosho had finally reminded Tenchi that he could take a second wife if he became the emperor of Jurai. Ryouko had been strangely silent over the issue, but that had yet to be resolved.

Yes, training had definitely helped solidify relationships in the group. Ranko wondered if the Amazons or even Rei and Usagi (you had to wonder) would come to some arrangement as well. There is a thin line between love and hate; if you respect your opponent sometimes the strangest things could occur. Ranko had seen it before.

The ground crunched beside Ranko on the edge of the forest bordering the lake. She had been waiting for half-an-hour for it to happen.

"Kounji," Ranko nodded to the girl and her battle spatula strapped onto her back.

After all this time, Ranko still couldn't think of Ukyou as anything but a buddy from her youth. The redhead hadn't mentioned who Akane's friend was that got captured beside her for a reason. Of all of the fighters in Nerima, Ucchan had the least potential and she was the most likely to be killed again. Ranko refused to lose her best friend and fiancee on the same day again.

Ukyou spun about with her spatula slicing through the air until she stared at Ranko. "Who are you?!"

The air smelled like okonomiyaki, making it impossible for the chef to sneak up on anyone. "Ranko Meiou. I'm warning you to give up your revenge on Ranma Saotome before it's too late, girl."

Ukyou's eyes narrowed and she tightened her grip on her spatula. "How did you- . . . Doesn't matter. I have to get my revenge for what he and his lousy father did to me. I trained for ten years beside the crashing waves to perfect my art."

They both turned when something exploded in midair and Akane came tumbling down to the ground. A few seconds after landing, the girl screeched and flew back up to enter the fight between Ranma and Ryouga.

"How about those waves?" Ranko smirked.

". . ." Ukyou had her jaw on the ground and her eyes fixed to the impossibly fast fighters. She picked herself up and tried to look non-challant, but Ukyou continued to glance at the flying martial artists. "Maybe I can let him off for now." Her countenance dimmed and she glared at Ranko. "What do you expect me to do?! I have to make him pay for what he's done!"

Ranko sighed and pointed out Akane, who was on her way down again. "Do you see that girl with the big red aura chasing him around? That's his girlfriend. If you can do something to Ranma, do you want to have to deal with her too?" By the look on Ukyou's face, Ranko could tell she did not. "Maybe I can suggest a compromise."

"Compromise?"

Nodding, Ranko pulled out a piece of paper she had readied since she first felt Ukyou entering the area. "This is where Genma Saotome is staying. After you've dealt with him, if that isn't enough for your father, come see me again."

Ukyou studied the address silently and then tucked it into her pocket. "Why do you care?"

"He's my student," said Ranko. Believing things were concluded, she floated off into the air for Yosho's training.

"Right," Ukyou muttered slowly. She hadn't even thought of how strong the redhead might have been to talk so casually about what Ranma and his friends were doing. She was glad she didn't attack the woman now. Ukyou took a glance over her shoulder before leaving the area. "Ranchan sure did get handsome though."

High above the ground, Ranko felt Ukyou walking off and sighed. "Later, Ucchan."

*~*~*

As the weekend approached, fewer of Ranko's students actually left the shrine. Most were content to lounge around and waste the day. The more dedicated of her students continued to train, but only Ranko kept up the normal intensity.

It was feeling like a lazy weekend where nothing happens.

Thunder rumbled and Ranko grumbled in annoyance.

Leaving the kitchen with a Popsicle in hand, Akane headed for Ranma's side like she usually did. No matter how much of a jerk the big cat was, Akane couldn't help but like him. She even cared for him. He was really nothing like the other perverts at school and he treated her like a real person. Akane sucked on her Popsicle for a moment and considered Ranma's profile for a while. The pigtailed boy was sitting on the porch and watching their teacher facing off against Yosho. They didn't often get to see the more advanced students spar with Ranko. "Are you still out here?"

Ranma nodded without taking his eyes from the powerful and fluid dance. "She's amazing," he whispered. Ranma had never admired someone before. Usually he blustered about his own skill, but he treated Ranko almost like an idol. "I've neverrr met anyone like herrr."

"Meiou-sensei?" Akane watched the redhead toss Yosho across the yard and strip him of his sword at the same time. She couldn't fault Ranma for respecting Ranko like he did, Akane felt the same way. "She's pretty cool."

Ranma sighed heavily. "I wish I'd met herrr a long time ago. Who knows how strrrong I'd be now?"

Akane nodded in response. What if she had been trained by Ranko-sensei a long time ago? How powerful would she be? "You two are a lot alike, you know? She even looks a lot like your mom. I'd almost think you were related."

Ranma blinked in surprise and stared at her strangely. "What? I don't see it."

Rolling her eyes, Akane sat down and flushed a bit when their thighs touched. Neither moved since the contact was so pleasant. Akane almost wanted to jump into Ranma's lap like Hotaru did with Ryouga.

Inside the house, Cologne, Washuu, and Nodoka were sitting around the table sharing some tea and a little gossip. With all of the teens around the house it was like one big soap opera most of the time. Unfortunately the men were outnumbered, which did not help poor Minako and Makoto.

Nodoka had spotted Yosho fleeing in a panic on occasion. Speaking of which . . .

"Yosho's power output has almost doubled since he began training with Ranko. He's nearly at half her power level. If he still had the Tenchiken he might even be pushing Ranko around," Washuu informed them while running through her latest readings. She had the whole shrine monitored in hopes of discovering the origins of ki or even how it developed. Ranko informed her it was like drawing upon the soul, but Washuu was certain there was a more scientific conclusion behind it all.

"She's earned a lot of respect from the rest of the fighters. Ranma especially. He's her favorite too," Cologne added.

Washuu looked away from her light computer to regard the young pigtailed martial artist in question. "Yes, the Washuu from Ranko's time says he becomes quite the hero."

Sparkles of maternal pride started floating around Nodoka's head as she listened. "Don't forget the two of them were probably the same age in her time. Maybe she was his lover and that's why she likes him so much. My son is so manly!"

Washuu reserved comment on that. Cologne coughed delicately into her hand and looked away.

A hero. Ranko sniffed at the very idea. There were no heroes. She'd never met one anyway. She remembered being Ranma's age and thinking that nothing could stop her. She was going to prove her manliness and save the world. That world was gone now. So much for the hero.

Ranko wanted to believe that training this Ranma would change things, but every day she felt as if it were a useless gesture. Instead, Ranko continued as she always did and wondered if chance would swing her way sometime.

Washuu was chuckling with the other women when her light computer beeped. She tapped a few commands and found something interesting. The person was approaching the shrine with two others right now. "Hello, who's this?"

Ranma and Akane looked away from each other when they felt the power. It was a necessary skill in Ranko's training. Both could feel the power, but it felt different, like it was being held back. Akane looked over the handsome young man walking up. He wore strange armor and his hair was two colors. "The guy looks strong."

Yosho looked over as well and suffered a kick to his ribs for the distraction. He rolled off of the ground quickly and tried to apply the hand to hand skill Ranko had been teaching him. This was not going to be a pleasant match.

Ranma nodded, unsure.

Others arrived at the porch when they felt the power too. Minako and Ami grimaced at the looks the new men gave them. The two younger boys flanking the armored man were almost leering.

Minako frowned further at their choice of clothing. "Are they wearing animal skins?" That was so eighties.

The man ignored all but the woman who had not acknowledged his approach. He knew she had known long before the others and felt no fear. This was certainly the woman he sought. "Would you be Ranko Meiou. The one who destroyed Jusendo with a powerful ki blast?"

Yosho tried to use the distraction to put a fist in her gut, but Ranko pushed it aside with ease and kicked him under the chin. Ranko glanced at the boy and didn't look particularly surprised or impressed. "Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty, something I can do for you?" 

Yosho had no comment as he was too busy trying to block her strikes.

Herb was a little put off that she had continued her exercise without stopping. "I've come seeking my bride. Only someone with such strength is worthy of a dragon descendant. Ranko Meiou, I wish you to return to China with me and be my queen."

Minako whined at Ranko's luck, but the others glared at the man for even presuming to ask that of their sensei. He'd be lucky to leave with his nuts intact. As for the other two-

"Wow, look at all the titties!" Lime enthused.

Mint looked over Akane speculatively. "Do you think one of them would have tea with me?"

-They would probably leave with less.

"Aren't I a little old for you?" Ranko asked without stopping her fight.

Herb scoffed. "Ridiculous. Your power and beauty makes you a perfect bride."

Before taking on her quest to train the world's best fighters, Ranko had considered going to those who would already be considered powerful. The trouble with people like Herb was that his arrogance would get in the way rather than make him try harder when he failed. Of course, he was also a dragon and unlike normal people, his power didn't grow with practice, but with age. Magical beasts were curious like that. "All the same I will have to decline."

Fists clenched, Herb strode forward to disrupt Yosho's training. "Do you know who I am, woman?!"

Ranma stopped the prince before he got too close. "She said no, prrretty boy."

Herb took a step back and blinked. The pigtailed boy had come out of nowhere. Sneering, Herb raised a hand and filled it with ki. "You dare stand in the way of a dragon?! I will make you regret it, weakling."

Ranma grinned and dropped into a modified cat stance. "Trrry me."

Herb snorted and released a massive ki blast to do away with the impudent boy quickly. The shot kicked up a large dust cloud. "You do not stand a chance against me."

No one reacted as he expected and when the dust settled, Herb noticed the spot was empty. Had he incinerated the boy accidentally?

"Up herrre."

Herb gasped as the son was blocked out by the descending form of Ranma. He quickly went on the defensive and skipped out of the way of the attack. Ranma continued to punch and bruises formed on the princes arms. 

It was impossible. The boy must have been trained by the Amazon's to punch so fast, but to do it for so long was something Herb had never encountered. His arms were starting to tire when he noticed that not only had Ranma been punching at incredible speeds, but also he'd been doing it while flying!

Growling at the insult, Herb pushed himself into the air with his ki. A golden power visibly shimmered about his body as he charged the pigtailed martial artist. 

Ranma smirked at this and flew about taking quick shots at the dragon descendant. Herb threw ki attacks of all kinds, but he lacked the rigorous training Ranma had. It seemed Herb only put the effort into making his attacks without really refining them. It was too bad. Herb might have lasted with a bit more training.

A crater formed in the earth after Herb was kicked. Ranma's foot, who continued to float smugly in the air, cracked the center of his armor. Before Ranko-sensei he was sure the battle would not have been so easy.

"Herb-sama!" Lime called out.

Mint stood where he was and glared the floating boy. Some knives were ready to fly, but he held them back for now. "Hey, you can't do that!"

Akane approached the crater and look in to see the prince stirring slightly at Lime's prodding. "He's not bad, Meiou-sensei. Why not take him as a student?"

Grumbling at the need to be carried by his guard, Herb finally took a real look at Ranma then Ranko. The redhead had not even stopped her training for the fight. His face flushed when he looked deeper into her aura. Herb's power did not compare and he could see it. And if she was Ranma's teacher then she was likely even more skilled than the pigtailed boy had been. Herb strained to pull up the threads of his dignity. "No, I have duties to attend to in my kingdom."

"It's a small citadel in the middle of nowhere, China," Ranko informed the group, making Herb growl deeply.

"Besides, she is too old for me to marry," he snapped back.

Ranko grinned and finally watched the three figures walk off.

Smirking, Ranko pushed her chest forward and put a hand behind her head, posing. Yosho almost collapsed in relief. "Gee, I hope I'm not losing my sex appeal." Without a glance she back kicked and felt her foot connect with something. "You let your guard down, Yosho."

The man moaned in a fetal position on the ground. "U-Uncute."

*~*~*

The warrior maiden was glaring. She'd been doing that a lot since arriving in Japan. While no one treated her particularly bad, everything the others did seemed to insult her. Shampoo didn't want sympathy from the Sailor Scouts. They didn't even understand what it was to be a warrior. She was not interested in clothes and boys!

The others . . . they were all more powerful than she was! Even Mousse had surpassed her months ago! 

Shampoo glared at her fists while she sat alone in her room. Ranko had helped her overcome some hurtles in her training, but the insufferable outsider had always treated her like a nuisance or a child! "Shampoo Amazon. Shampoo strong," she told herself.

Amazons were the strongest warriors in the world! Those men like Ranma, Ryouga, Tenchi, Yosho, and Mousse, they weren't better than her. She would show them! She would become the best and when they were all in need of her help, she'd make them BEG FOR IT!

"Shampoo?"

Shampoo tried to keep up her scowl, but the distraction proved enough to make her arms sag in defeat. She was too depressed to be angry with anyone but herself right now. "What want, Mu Tsu? Is busy."

Carefully, Mousse peeked through the open door to see Shampoo sitting on her bed with her bangs covering her eyes. "How is your training coming along. I've seen you don't use your bonbori anymore."

Lips tightening, Shampoo clenched her hands. "Not need tools. Shampoo strong. Beat enemy with fists!" Her fists shook at Mousse, but they dropped when she noticed something different. "Where you glasses?"

Mousse rubbed the back of his head as a blush spread over his cheeks. The boy was going without his glasses now thanks to Washuu's help. Ranko had tried before to get his eyes taken care of, but Usagi could only banish evil and Hotaru could only fix things that were broken. His eyesight was genetic, that is, until Washuu-chan rewrote it. The little redhead was his new best friend. "Washuu-chan was able to fix my eyes. She says genetic problems are child's play to her."

"Crab Girl is child some of time," the girl acknowledged. She wanted to glare at the boy. With his eyes fixed she had lost the one big advantage she'd had over him. "Shampoo is no good no more. Even Mu Tsu better than Shampoo."

Mousse winced. "It just takes some people longer than others. You'll get there, Shampoo. I know you will."

"You is only one," Shampoo sighed in defeat. She felt so low, looking for sympathy from Mousse now. He used to love her so much he would kill anyone for even bruising her. He'd glared at Ranko a lot at the beginning, but things had changed. She and Mousse trained together now and when Ranko came around to evaluate them, Shampoo needed Mousse to defend her from Ranko's critical evaluation. 

It was true, what Ranko said back in the village. Shampoo did not have the potential the others had. She, not the men, was the liability. How could she continue to be an Amazon if her own warrior-sisters could not respect her? What was her worth?

Shampoo was shocked out of her internal debate when Mousse put his arm around her shoulder. He hadn't done that in a long time.

Mousse smiled kindly at the girl and pat her shoulder. "Then we'll just have to show them, won't we?"

"Mu Tsu?"

He grinned cockily. "I'm sure we can figure this out. Two heads are better than one, right?"

Tears wanted to fall down her cheeks, but Shampoo held them back stubbornly. She wouldn't cry in front of another warrior, even Mousse. "Thank you, Mu Tsu."

Nodding, the boy stood up and gestured to the door. "Come on. Saotome-san and Sasami were cutting up some watermelon."

Slowly grinning back at him, Shampoo stood up. Maybe joining the others rather than pushing them away would make her feel better. These were her new warrior-sisters and brothers after all. "Okay."

*~*~*

Sitting at the edge of the training grounds and watching her students spar one another, Ranko wondered if Mousse had figured it out or if it were a coincidence. 

Shampoo had been improving recently. Not the slow struggle, but really improving. Her snobbish, superior attitude had been cut back a great deal and the girl participated in the training with the others rather than tackling it on her own. The only one who had been holding Shampoo back was herself. 

Ranko knew the girl wanted to be better, but she also refused to accept that she had something to learn from others. Accepting help was something a lot of the Amazons had trouble asking for. It stunted their growth in almost every direction. It was the reason most Amazons were so blood thirsty. Denying the simple truths of life could only lead to destruction.

Things were definitely improving. Ranko would be beginning the vacuum blade and invisibility techniques soon. Cologne and Ranma would probably pick it up rather quickly, but Ranko wanted a few others to get a handle on it at the same time. Training wasn't fun without multiple targets.

She was still sitting outside when the others were called in for dinner. Ranko felt the tingle of a few familiar ki signatures approaching her. 

"Well, my dear, so you are the one my two worthless students were talking about."

"Grand Master Happousai." Ranko acknowledged the old man with a nod. She glanced at Soun and Genma, and smirked at the signs of his meeting with a certain okonomiyaki chef. They were glaring at her, but Ranko ignored it.

Happousai, the two foot tall Anything Goes founder, puffed lightly at his pipe as he considered the redhead. "I've been watching your little group for a few days and I'm very impressed."

Ranko quirked an eyebrow. "Strange. I didn't notice any underwear going missing."

The old man sighed and looked mournfully at the young girls he could see. "I'm afraid a little charge won't help me any more."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Not sounding at all sincere.

Happousai chuckled. "You'd be the only one." He sat down slowly as if it really took some effort. Ranko remembered he had died not long after the Saiyajins showed up, but she'd never really seen him like this. She'd imagined the old man had croaked in the middle of another panty raid or something, not hobbling on his last legs. "I really only use that method to motivate my students and training methods. More fun than the traditional style."

Almost with concern, Ranko stared into the old man's aura. He was a pervert, but she didn't want to see him suffering. Apart from arthritis, she really couldn't see any pain in his aura. She shifted uncomfortably beside the dying man.

Taking a break from his bowing and scraping, Genma poked at the old man. "Master? Weren't you going to show this girl who the best is?"

"Quiet fool!" Happousai snapped and tossed the fat bastard with his pipe. 

Happousai was not a fool despite how he acted. He could clearly see Ranko had skill and power. The girl outclassed the Grandmaster even when he had been in his prime. 

After making sure Soun would not interrupt as well, he turned back to woman sitting beside him. "Do you know what it takes to become the grand master of Anything Goes?"

"A bag of silky darlings?" Ranko smirked and the old man chuckled as well.

"Close. The Perverted Arts are just my addition to the style. An esoteric branch." He grinned when she glared at him for staring at her breasts. "No you must prove mastery of the core of Anything Goes, teach students to become great fighters, and adapt the style to suit your own needs by creating new techniques to add to the Art."

Cocking her head, Ranko shrugged. "That's nice. What does that have to do with me?"

"I think you know," Happousai said staring straight into her eyes. Ranko blinked in surprise, not expecting him to uncover the truth so quickly or to keep eye contact for more than a second. "I'd originally planned to spend my last year making sure the heir to Anything Goes was properly trained, but I see you've taken care of that already. Better than I could have done, I'm sure." He reached into his gi and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. 

"What's this?" Ranko asked as she pulled at the string holding the document. Her eyes widened when she saw the flash of gold.

"You've quite exceeded my expectations." Happousai nodded at her surprised expression and stood back up. "Ranma Saotome." The old man was hobbling away by the time she looked up again. 

Tendou balked and sputtered as Happousai passed by. He looked at his friend in shock. "Did the Master just certify that woman as Grand Master of Anything Goes? A woman?"

Genma too had paled. "I-It can't be."

Rolling the certification back up, Ranko snorted at the pair. "Shouldn't you two be getting on your way? If you want to remain Masters of Anything Goes then you're going to have to get back in shape and start teaching some classes." When there was no response she turned to look at them with a frown. "Right?" They ran when she flashed her power briefly. Ranko stared after them for a few moments then shook her head and headed in for dinner. "You surprised me, old pervert."

Late at night, after her students had fallen asleep, Ranko stood at the door to the backyard and stared up at the sky. She felt a tingle rising up in her sense.

Nodoka finished taking care of things in the kitchen and stared at Ranko curiously. The woman almost seemed upset about something. Nodoka touched her shoulder softly. "Are you all right, Ranko?"

Feeling the energy spike and then fade to nothing, Ranko swallowed fate and nodded. "Fine," she murmured.

The dead, after all, could not be saved.

*~*~*

Darkness fell over the shrine on what started as a typical day of training. The group of fighters was just finishing off the morning routine and were heading in for lunch when a beeping sound interrupted conversation.

Puzzled, Ami retrieved her Mercury computer that had been quiet since the Sailor Scouts defeated their last enemy. Her brow furrowed at what she read. "Guys, I'm getting a strange signal."

"What is it?" Rei asked, curious. The other Scouts had stopped as well. 

Pressing a few buttons, Ami's frown deepened. "There's a lot of unknown energy. It might be another rogue youma."

With the excitement gone, Makoto sighed at the rather boring prospect. Dusting youma's just didn't have the thrill it once did before all of the training. Now, when a youma would show up, just one of the Scouts could put the monsters away. "We better go take care of it."

The Outers shrugged and let the Inners have their fun. It wasn't a part of their job to fight off internal threats anyway. The Outers had to stay focused on outside threats. Haruka waved once at Akane on the way.

Puzzled, Akane watched the Sailor Scouts transform. This wasn't the first time she'd seen it, but she'd never seen them miss lunch before. "Where are you off to?"

Sailor Venus looked back and waved to the girl. "We'll be back in a bit, Akane. Cover for us with Meiou-sensei." And with that they were gone. 

Shrugging, Akane went back in for lunch. She had to keep an eye on Ranma or he would stuff all of the food down his own big mouth before anyone else had a chance. Really, he could be such a jerk.

Coming down from the mountain with Cologne and Yosho, Ranko looked eagerly for a good meal. After so many years of fighting, she had sworn to savor her meals as they rightfully deserved. She rubbed her growling stomach and picked up a pair of chopsticks as she sat down at the table. "Alright, kids, let's-" Her eyes strayed around the room. Some people were missing. "Where are the others?"

"They, uh, had to go to the bathroom," said Akane. She failed to grin at Ranko's flat glare. The fighters new better than to take off like this. It may still be months before the Saiyajins were to arrive, but informing others of where you were was still a sensible precaution.

The closet door was flung open suddenly and Washuu rushed into the dining room. "Ranko, a powerful signal suddenly appeared on the Earth."

Ranko stopped to stretch out her senses. What day was this? It was still some five months before the attack began. What could the Scouts be doing? An image of Ami popped into mind, or rather, the lack of a Sailor Mercury in Ranko's time. "Damn."

Everyone was startled when Ranko jumped out of her seat and rushed into the yard to scan the horizon. 

Ryouga looked around and found nothing. "What is it?"

Cursing herself, Ranko leapt into the air and honed in on the Scouts position. "When the Scouts found me they were already down three members."

Akane put her hands over her mouth, horrified. "You mean they're-"

Ranko didn't wait to hear the question and blasted off in the direction of the strongest power. It was one of the enemy. One of the monsters must have come before Washuu and Ranma were originally involved. Others were following her, but Ranko was easily out-pacing them in her urgency.

Inside the house, Nodoka's soap opera was replaced by a live broadcast. The image was that of a crash site where an entire city block had been decimated. The reporter stood on the edge, pointing towards the center and the Sailor Scouts examining the cause.

The news anchors looked as calm as they could be after being rushed onto the set. "We are now taking you live to a crash site where the Sailor Scouts have suddenly appeared. We are being told it was not a meteorite, but a pod of some kind-"

The dust was settling now and the Scouts could see the object more clearly as they dropped down around it. They had been horrified to see several buildings collapse just under the earthquake alone. So much death from something that looked like a large, bleached tennis ball.

Jupiter tried to ignore the destruction and focus on the object for now. "What is it?"

"A transport," Mercury answered after her computer scanned the pod. "It must be strong to survive impact like this."

"It's opening!" Mars had a fire spell ready just in case. Others took up fighting positions as well, but were more interested in what would come out of the strange ship. Perhaps it was someone from that Galaxy Police department like Mihoshi and Kiyone.

"High power readings!" Mercury warned fearfully. 

Mars was feeling the energy now and looked a little pale. Moon backed away slowly as she saw the other's reactions to the pod and whoever was inside. After hearing all of the tales about the evil alien invaders she was more than a little concerned about the chances of love and justice holding up against such killers. "We should have waited for Meiou-sensei!"

A man with long black hair and a tail stepped out of the pod. He looked a lot like Ryouko in some respects, but far more menacing with his muscular frame and battle armor. The man took one look around the area and scoffed. "How pathetic. Only five little girls stand between me and domination of this world."

Scared and yet determined to save her world, Venus reared back her hands into fists. "We'll show you who's little! Venus Crescent Beam!"

The man disappeared before the blast had even reached him. "Too slow," the man announced from behind the blonde. The Scouts whirled about in time to watch him reach out and snap the girl's neck. He bowed mockingly. "My name is Raditz. You will soon know it very well."

"Venus!"

Jupiter went straight onto the offensive. She hadn't believed, none of them had, that any Sailor Scout could truly be killed. Something had always happened, whether a new ally showed up or new powers were found, something had always saved them in the end. But to for any of them to die so callously! "Try that on me, creep!"

Raditz smirked and easily dodged the girl's attacks. Kicks and punches were avoided with simple flips of the wrist that somehow had the power to send Jupiter sprawling to the ground. This must be a Saiyajin and he was toying with them just as easily as Ranko said they would!

Jupiter screamed on the next pass when Raditz reached out and snapped her leg like a twig. Her Sailor powers would heal the wound, but not quickly enough to rejoin this fight. 

"This is fun, who's next?" Raditz smirked and looked at the other three girls. Moon and Mars were standing together, but Mercury had been frozen since she'd watched Venus die. Raditz stepped towards her. "You?"

Mars lunged forward. She had taken up a guarding position in front of her princess instinctively, but she couldn't stand by and watch another of her friends murdered by this monster. "Mercury, look out!"

Raditz leaned back to avoid the Flame Sniper and caught Mars by the throat. He smiled at her, menacingly, showing off sharp canines and cruel eyes. 

Mars cringed when she saw him bring up his other hand in a fist. She really wanted to go back to the shrine for more training under Meiou-sensei. Lots and lots of training!

She was shocked out of her panic by the sharp breeze that blew over her face. A fist smacked into a small hand just inches in front of Mars' nose. The girl looked up hopefully to her savior. 

"Not this time, asshole," Ranko growled and tried to crush the fist in her grasp.

In pain, Raditz dropped Mars reflexively while going to punch the newcomer and save his hand. The grip was powerful, like the times Napa got a hold of him in their training sessions. He glared angrily at this person and was shocked to see the small redhead glaring right back at him. The Saiyajins were used to seeing fear, hate, and shock in the faces of their victims. They were a race of powerful warriors known throughout the galaxy for their strength. But this woman, her power, Raditz could see the contempt in her eyes. The woman looked like death, his death.

Breathing heavily, Ranko tried to slow down her pulse, but her anger had found release and wanted to enjoy this. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins like high-octane fuel. 

Raditz recoiled as he was socked in the jaw and a tooth was knocked out. 

Ranko took pleasure in the way her fists connected with the man's body, and the crunching sounds it made when a bone would snap and grind against others. Raditz tried to fight back, but Ranko was unimpressed. She didn't give him the time to build up any significant amounts of energy for a ki blast. Ranko was focused solely on making this man hurt. To make him bleed. She wanted to see him broken and then have him beg for his life the way they had done to her family so long ago.

The Scouts watched in resignation. What Ranko was doing was cruel and disgusting, but they could not make themselves stop her after watching Venus die. This man deserved what he was getting. Likely deserved it several times over for deaths on who knows how many other planets. A part of them wanted to join in and the other side new it was wrong. So they waited and watched, letting Ranko take care of him as she thought best.

Face swollen and bloody, Raditz gurgled up a little blood and spat it on the ground. He had better be killed now or Vegita would definitely kill him later. "You cannot stop us. Even if I die other will come after me."

"I know," said Ranko coldly. She removed the scouter from his head and took a step back and aimed. A powerful ki blast ripped through his body in a fine beam, cauterizing his neck where his head had once been. 

The ground shook and the Sailor Scouts flinched in reaction. It had all been done so quietly it chilled their bones.

Ranko turned to them and scowled. These were definitely not the Sailor Scouts she was used to working with. "Where's Venus?" Her voice was like a winter breeze and the girls looked at the ground in shame. Ranko growled when she found Venus' body. It was easy to figure out why there had been only two Inner Scouts in her time now. And she had been sent back to prevent this? Ranko closed her eyes and put her hand through the space pod in loathing. "Dammit!"

The Sailor Scouts slowly picked themselves up through their tears and anger. Cologne, Ranma, Ryouga, and Akane had arrived by then and were trying to lend them some support. "What are you doing?"

Ranko stared at the body at her feet. It twitched a few times, but that was fading quickly. She was considering standing here and watching it decompose. It didn't matter to her so much that Venus had died. The girl had died long ago already, but this was the first time Ranko had seen a Saiyajin dead. It seemed impossible before.

But here was one now, dead by her own hands. She knew her progress had been stunted not long after training began, but this . . . Could it be that she was stronger than the Saiyajins now? Ranko hadn't considered what strength the Saiyajins would have gained over the years of fighting, but now. Was she an even match for Napa or even the Saiyajin prince?

Ranko crouched down and slung the dead body over her shoulder. "Taking him with us. Washuu might be able to figure something out." Moon looked like she would be sick, but Ranko ignored it, muttering to herself, "Looks like I know how Mercury and Mars originally died." Glaring at the Scouts, Ranko snapped at them, "You have to start using your heads. In this fight you are seriously out-gunned."

The girls cringed and took it. They had been warned. Ranko had trained them in how to fight the Saiyajins. They knew they were too weak to fight them on their own and yet they hadn't followed that advice. This was their fault.

Ranko flew off without a backward glance. She needed to know what was different this time. Could she stop these Saiyajins on her own?

Lip trembling as tears flowed down her cheeks, Moon threw herself into Mars' arms and cried "Oh Rei!" Her friend held her quietly, but no less upset. One of her friends was dead and her princess was crying. The Saiyajins would pay for this, but until then she would support Moon and work harder to become more powerful. "Minako!"

Holding her princess closely, Mars started leading her away from the area. They didn't need to deal with the press right now and Venus' body had already been taken away by Cologne. "Come on, Sailor Moon. We should get out of here."

*~*~*

Ranko snorted in disgust. When the Sailor Scouts had returned it was like they had already accepted defeat. Maybe it was a mistake to bring them in on this at all. Ranko would have been able to concentrate on the real fighters if she hadn't. 

Now, while they wept, Ranko was looking for answers. She was pacing now, outside of Washuu's lab and waiting for the autopsy report. With the technology the woman used it wasn't a long wait. The closet opened and Washuu walked out with her light computer reviewing the information. "Did you figure anything out?"

Washuu nodded slowly. "They are like humans only more resistant to pressure and they are very resilient when it comes to damage."

Ranko nodded. She knew this already and that they didn't age the way humans would. Saiyajin prime seemed to last well after their fifties. But that wasn't what she wanted to know.

Ami had her own news to report. She took a moment to look over her friends in the living room and sighed with regret. "If that is the weakest of them we may not be able to fight off the others at all."

Rei ground her teeth as she held the sleeping Usagi in her arms. "We can't fight them separately, that's for sure. From now on we all stick together. Otherwise we run." Others cringed, but nodded slowly.

"I don't like running," Haruka growled out angrily.

Cologne snorted. "Tough."

"The best you can do is distract them for a little while," Ranko interjected once Washuu's diagnosis was held off. "In my time the Scouts used their powers to draw them away from regular people. Moon and Saturn might be able to destroy them, but their rate of fire was too slow and the Saiyajins usually spotted them by then."

That gave the group something to think about. They started wondering if there were a way to launch magical attacks faster or to even suppress the magical aura while still in Sailor form. Ranko had heard the same discussion done before, but maybe something new would come of it.

"Ranko." Washuu quietly pulled the woman into the hallway just out of sight. "I thought it best to tell you first, but I might have a way of leveling the field. Ami is too inexperienced with advanced genetic manipulation, but I was taking a look at the recursive power gene that was engineered into their DNA-"

Ranko closed her eyes and put a hand over the woman's mouth. "The short version, Washuu-chan."

The woman grinned in her child body and put away the useless visual aids. "I might be able to turn our fighters into Saiyajins as well."

"What?" Ranko was stunned. Is this what Washuu could come up with after getting just one Saiyajin. Ranko was repulsed by the idea of turning into one of the monsters, but if it made her stronger, even a little bit, it could be worth it. She wanted to beat the two Saiayajins she remembered from her time, and beat them bad. This could be her chance.

"The design is genius. I think I can recreate the process used to turn these Saiyajins into such powerful fighters. If my theory is correct it should multiply any of the fighter's power levels."

Ranko took a deep breath and considered it. "I want you to keep this between us for now. Let me know when you're ready." She glanced back to make sure the others hadn't heard. "I don't want anyone else knowing about this until you're sure."

"Got it."

Ranko waited a few moments after Washuu left. If the scientist came back with a positive answer to the later, Ranko wouldn't discount it. What did it matter now anyway? There was already a Ranma Saotome in this universe and Ranko Meiou only existed on forged documents. What would it matter if Ranko decided to screw with her DNA a little more? In the face of evil, you need monsters to fight monsters.

*~*~*

There was a Shinto service held for Sailor Venus since her identity may give away the rest of the Scouts identities. That made things difficult in several ways, not the least of which was keeping the secret from Minako's somewhat reclusive parents.

Ranko hadn't attended. She'd been to more funerals than she could remember. People were dying all of the time in the war with the Saiyajins. Relatives, friends, and allies. All dead for her own mistakes. 

When training started again, Ranko spent more time doing one-on-one with Ranma than before. He figured out the invisibility techniques as quickly as she expected him to. Ranko never taught it to him, only used it herself against him until he could duplicate the maneuver. Not an easy thing when you're being flung around the area by an invisible fighter. 

The only trouble with the technique was it required a person to completely invert their aura, but you couldn't hurt the Saiyajins without using at least some of your ki. Ranko had at one time stood right behind one of the Saiyajins while sneaking past them in their ships without being detected, but there hadn't been a damn thing she could do. The moment she appeared everyone would spot her and kill her.

The private funeral had lasted several hours and Ranko had thought of how annoying waiting was. Some of the people stared at her quietly, but Ranko didn't need them to like her. She didn't want to go to the service and that was that. Screw them if they couldn't handle it. She'd done it all before; it was old hat.

Belatedly, Ranko realized she was being pulled off of Ranma while beating him into the ground, blood running out of his nose and mouth. He should have been stronger than that.

"Ranko," Cologne cried, aghast. "What are you thinking? Ranma can't take anymore."  
The redhead stared at Cologne blankly for a moment then turned to where Ranma was being helped back to his feet by his girlfriend. Others were standing around, looking at her with mixed emotions of anger and pity. 

Ranko wasn't blaming him, no matter what they saw in her eyes. Ranma tried his best and he couldn't do it. That wasn't his fault though. Lots of people couldn't do it. There was no reason to get upset at him.

"If he can't take it," Ranko replied, "then all he has to do is stop me."

Akane was flabbergasted.

Ranko shrugged out of Cologne's grip and flew off. She needed to go train on her own where such cowardly weaklings didn't surround her.

"What the hell was that?" Rei demanded after Ranko had disappeared from sight.

Usagi tried to make sense of it, but could only shake her head in confusion. 

At least Hotaru didn't have to wonder while she was busy fixing Ranma with her healing abilities. It was an often-practiced skill here at the shrine and she had gotten used to its draining effects and built up some better endurance.

"Perhaps she is more upset than she allows herself to seem," Ami said in a whisper. 

"About Minako," Usagi wondered.

"Of course, about Minako, meatball head," Rei snapped and dragged the Scouts back out for more training. 

Cologne took a last look at the healed Ranma sleeping in Akane's arms and wondered.

*~*~*

"Mind if I join you?"

It was late. The moon was high in the sky casting narrow beams of light through the clouds. There were hundreds of shadows out there now. Hiding in those shadows were certainly dangers, but the most damaging of shadows were those hidden inside. Ranko had been sitting on the roof trying to clear her mind of all thought. It had been working until Setsunna arrived. She gestured to a seat beside her. "No."

They sat in silence for a long time. Long enough that all of the lights in the house had gone out before Setsunna spoke again.

"You're Ranma Saotome, aren't you?"

Ranko smirked and stared at her feet. "How did you know?"

"Little things." Setsunna shrugged as if it weren't so important. It wasn't really except it would be easier for the young Ranma to accept her as Ranko Meiou rather than the truth. "You are from sixteen years in the future so you should be alive now. You are gathering the best fighters in the world and there is no one named Ranko in our group. And you take Ranma's side most of the time when he gets caught in compromising positions." Setsunna tried to laugh, but it did nothing to change Ranko's mood. "There's also the way you look at Mrs. Saotome." More silence. "How did you turn into a girl?"

Ranko sighed. "There is a cursed training ground in China. I fell into one of the springs and from that point on cold water turned me into a girl and hot water changed me back."

Setsunna nodded to herself as she worked things out. "Coming in contact with yourself would have caused a paradox." She received a nod in return. 

"Tsunami did something to the magic of the curse and now I'm stuck like this forever. I caught up with Ranma just before he would have entered Jusenkyou."

"That's quite a sacrifice."

Ranko shrugged. "Not so big."

"She would be proud of you," Setsunna said suddenly. A blush fell over her cheeks, but she refused to looked at the redhead seated beside her. "I would do anything to insure the future peace of the world. I can appreciate the sacrifice you made to protect others."

Feelings refused to remain locked in her heart poured out and Ranko buried her head in the green-haired woman's chest. "I love you, Setsunna."

Slowly, arms began to encircle her shoulders, but Ranko could feel Setsunna was not really in it. There was nothing said because neither was comfortable to say it.

The next morning, Ranko woke early as usual, but skipped her workout for a trip to the closet. Washuu looked up from her work to watch the redhead enter her lab. "Ranko?"

"Let's do this, Washuu," Ranko said grimly as she sat down on the operating table.

Washuu knew what she was talking about. It wasn't long ago that she had rediscovered the process for creating the Saiyajins from whatever they were before. "Are you sure? I'm not entirely sure this will work. There may even be harmful side effects." Washuu was more than just a little concerned. The process was developed for an entirely different species. While humans appeared similar to whatever the Saiyajins once were, appearances could be deceiving even at a molecular level.

"If it fails," Ranko paused and thought of her wife lost in a different future. "If it fails then I'm still out there helping the others. I have to try, Washuu-chan."

Washuu tapped a few keys on the table and a mask went over Ranko's face. Taking the woman's hand silently, Washuu looked into Ranko's eyes and tried to smile soothingly. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Ranko nodded. "See you later."

*~*~*

Days later, Minako's death still hung like a fog over the fighters at the shrine. The Scouts tried to think of what they could have done differently. More than a few of who were finding comfort in someone else to try to deal with this new pain. They had thought of trying Moon's resurrection powers, but such things were dangerous, not just for the caster, but the deceased and the world in general. Unnatural power like that could go horribly wrong very easily even for a well-versed sorceress. 

Instead, training became an obsession. While Ranma had recovered from the beating Ranko had given him, he understood now how weak he was against this enemy. Indeed, many were trying harder to become more powerful to protect their friends and family. The concept of saving the world was never made so clear until the death of an innocent was thrust before their eyes. Having free weekends did seem like a ridiculous idea given the severity of their future should they not be trained well enough to face even the first of their enemies.

No one wanted to say they died because they went out for a movie one Saturday. 

They would either train and win, or they would never see another weekend ever again.

On the Saturday after Minako's death, Ranma was pushing all of his sparring partners and himself as hard as he could. He'd never had so many friends before and he refused to lose them now.

Weaving through a steady stream of Amaguriken speed attacks, Ranma cut through Akane's defenses to slam his fist her gut and spin himself in the air to knock her straight for the ground. Pooling just enough ki, he made sure Akane knew she had lost that round.

The ground exploded, but this was becoming common around the shrine. Akane lay on her stomach for a few moments before struggling to her knees. She was tired. She'd been tired an hour ago, but pushed herself to stay up. 

"You okay, Akane?"

Breathing deeply, Akane sat back on her shins and looked up to her floating boyfriend. "Yeah, nice shot, Ranma." Her muscles screamed when she tried to stand up. Thankfully, Ranma had come down to give her a hand. She took some pride from the fact that he was also breathing hard. "I can't believe how much better we've all gotten. I really thought I was the best back in Nerima."

Ranma smiled in amusement. "It's a rrrush, isn't it? This is what the Anything Goes School was meant forrr."

Akane nodded with a grin and leaned against the boy's shoulder. 

"Brrreak?" Ranma asked, leading her to the porch.

"Yeah."

They sat down together to regain their breath and considered what other parts of their training to focus on today. For some reason, Ranko hadn't shown up at all today and while nothing had triggered either Washuu's sensors or Ami's, people were starting to get edgy. Case in point, Tenchi and Sasami were coming out of Ryouko's room. The ex-pirate was a loving mother and spent all of her time with the baby except to discuss tactics. Washuu had told them that Ryouko's masu body doesn't actually degrade and training could not increase her power. Ranko had verified this with her experience as well.

Sasami looked at them with hope. "Have you seen Ranko-sensei around anywhere?"

"She and Washuu-chan have been missing all morning. I think Yosho and Cologne-sensei are getting worried," Tenchi added, trying to hide his own concern though it was plain in his voice. After Ranko's anger showed itself he wondered what the redhead might do for revenge.

Akane's brow furrowed and looked out to the practice ground. "I saw that too. What do you think it could mean?"

"I don't know, but I hope everything is all right. It's getting close to the end of two years."

They were all startled by a voice behind them and they whirled about to see the redhead in question. She was attired in her usual black armor bodysuit, but she seemed to stand taller. Her eyes looked like they contained fire rather than the normal cold fury. 

"No, things are different this time," Ranko stated evenly and passed the four by to head out into the yard.

"Rrranko-sensei?" Ranma watched the woman he'd come to respect more than anyone else and felt a chill upon seeing her.

"Something's different about her," said Akane. Ranma nodded, but followed after Washuu passed quietly.

Tenchi nudged the others towards the yard. "Let's check it out."

Outside, the other fighters paused in their training, having sensed something was different as well. Washuu stood a few meters away from Ranko and had some of her portable scanners out along with the requisitioned scouter to scan for power levels. "Don't overdo it, Ranko."

The woman nodded and closed her eyes. There was some pain, but nothing worse than what she got in a regular sparring session. Ranko spread her legs into a horse stance and held back her fists, concentrating. "I know."

"What's going on, Washuu?" Tenchi asked after a few moments of silence. Washuu waved him back.

"Later, Tenchi."

Ranko screamed.

Everyone went on the defensive, startled by such an action and then the explosion of power from the redhead. They'd seen her power up before, but this was being done slower. Like Ranko was accustoming herself to the power all over again. And then they figured out why.

"Woah!" Ranma had his arm up over his eyes as the power became brighter, golden rather than blue or red. It felt like pure energy, almost burning. 

Grinning widely, Washuu jumped up and down in excitement. "Ranko's power level has jumped almost two hundred percent!"

The others gaped in astonishment as Ranko drew in her aura, smiled, and then took off. A crater was left in the wake of her speed. They could tell she was doing one of her aerial katas by the sound of the sound barrier being broken all over the place. Trenches were dug in the ground just from her passing and it was overwhelming to be so close to something like this.

The others could only guess at what such power must feel like, but Ranko was on a high. Her blood boiled! She felt like bursting at the seems. Her new aura was adjusting quickly and the rush would fade, but for now, Ranko felt strong enough to take on a hundred Saiyajins!

Akane gasped when an explosion occurred close by, but the reason had disappeared long before. "I can't even see her!"

Ranma was grinning. While he wanted to be the best, his sensei was the best. Striving to become stronger, to push herself in the Art, not like his worthless father. Ranko was the greatest!

When she was finished, Ranko stopped in mid air and fell softly to the ground. She looked . . . content. "Well?"

Washuu smirked and waggled her finger. "I still want to keep you under observation for the next week, but it looks like we were successful."

Nodding in return, Ranko took off once again. She could ignore the pain; she wanted to enjoy this while she could.

*~*~*

After a week, the gloom in the shrine had all but dissipated. Things were almost festive with the constant reminder of Ranko-sensei's new power. 

Ranko winced every now and then, but the pain was normal, Washuu told her. Her genetic code was being rewritten. Nerve endings were probably being altered to deal with the slightly different physiology, adapting to however the Saiyajins withstood such massive amounts of energy in their bodies.

Although the thought of becoming a Saiyajin sickened her, Ranko could not fault the power she was given. In a few more months it wouldn't be a problem anyway. She would kill the invaders and then she would be the last of the Saiyajins.

The species would die with her.

For her check up, Washuu had come out to the yard to scan Ranko's body. Ranko was grinning like a madwoman and hugging the other redhead. "You did it, Washuu-chan. We should tell them."

Washuu tried to look happy, but she still had misgivings. "I don't think so. It may be just a fluke that you responded so well. Your last blood test shows a high level of electric recoil between alleles."

"It's perfect, Washuu-chan." Ranko took a step back and passed her hands over her body. "Look at me. I'm stronger, faster, and more powerful. Hell I'm getting bored because I haven't had a good fight all week." She grinned and went into the horse stance again. It hadn't taken more than a day to reacquaint herself with her ki all over again. "No one can even come close to me now. Watch."

Others came out to witness the check up as well, though they were in the dark about the operation. Haruka shook her head in amusement. All week Ranko had been acting a bit more carefree. This showing off made her seem more human as well. "Will you look at that?"

"She's got to be stronger than Saturn now," Usagi speculated.

Akane cheered alongside Ryouga and Ranma. "We're actually going to beat these monsters. I know it!"

"All right, Ranko!" Makoto whistled out in encouragement as their sensei's aura began to brighten once again. It was stronger a little bit more than before and even she could feel it.

"HA!" Ranko reached the pinnacle of her power, muscles straining, veins appearing over her forehead and neck. She glanced at Washuu through the power and provided a shuddering grin. "See . . it's . . . perfect . . ."

Something felt wrong. 

Like a snap, Ranko's aura dropped and she clutched at her head. Shuddering more, Ranko's suddenly fell to her knees and vomited up a mouthful of blood. 

"Ranko!"

Washuu was running forward and pushing the others out of her way. She knew something could happen, but she didn't want to believe it. "Get back. Give me some room." Scanners were out and reviewing every aspect of Ranko's body. An outline of the fighter was highlighted in red throughout almost every part of her body. Internal bleeding, hemorrhaging, cardiac arrest, organ failure, and the list went on. "Ranma, bring her to my lab quickly."

Ranma did so and the closet was locked after them. The fighters paced outside, waiting anxiously for results. 

There was no problem though, right? Ranko was strong and Washuu was the greatest scientific genius in the universe. Things would be fine.

Others feared that this is what would happen to a body after surpassing its power limit. Their greatest chance for fighting the Saiyajins had likely just been snatched right out from under them. Even Ayeka was worried about Ranko and was not glaring at Ryoko and her baby.

Nobody returned to training in the following hours and nothing had been heard as of yet. Cologne was starting to think of ways to break into the lab when the closet door finally opened.

"Well? What is it? Is Ranko going to be okay?"

Ranma came out of the room with Washuu and he looked over the crowd quietly. He moved over to Akane and sat down beside her at the table.

Stifling her fears, Cologne turned to the scientist. "Washuu?"

Speaking as professionally as she could, the woman stared evenly at the crowd of anxious fighters. "Ranko has fallen into a coma."

"But you can take care of her, can't you Washuu?" Nodoka asked worriedly. 

After a moment of silence, Yosho put a hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Washuu?"

"Ranko isn't expected to recover, all right?!" Ranma snapped. He glared at the room with tears running down his cheeks. Not being able to take the stares, Ranma stood up and grabbed Akane to make her follow.

Akane didn't pull away after seeing the sadness in his eyes. "Ranma?"

The boy looked back to the group and tried to control his emotions. "She taught us all we need to know. Now let's just finish what she started." Looking away, Ranma left for the backyard. "Break's over, Akane."

Swallowing, Akane nodded her head and followed. "Right."

End Chapter Three

***

Send C&C to jehtek@hotmail.com

Or visit my website at www.geocities.com/jehtek

Ja ne.


	4. chapter four

Disclaimer: Find my center and breath. I can do this. Be the fanfic. Ohm . . . Ohm . . . Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon, and Dragonball Z don't belong to me, but neither do I belong to them. And it was good.

****

Savior

Chapter Four

By Michael Fetter

On the Throne, Emperor Azusa glared harshly at the GP captain standing before him defiantly. Others had been removed from the meeting room except his two wives, standing quietly concerned in the background.

"So?"

The GP captain firmed his jaw though he hated the position he had to take. "I'm sorry, your Highness, it isn't possible."

"We can go in there ourselves," Azusa declared stonily. Warning of the Cold family moving on Earth had reached Juria thanks to Washuu. A blockade was to be set up around Earth, but there were only so many ships available and the laws protecting the rights of other worlds prevented any intrusive barriers.

"Not with our support. Terra is a separate system with it's own logic and ego. Appearing may upset the balance and as GP officers we are sworn to protect such things."

Azusa was quickly losing his cool. He did not like the situation and the Cold family in particular. They were vultures preying on the weak. Now they sought Earth where his children had taken up residence. "Your ideas are ridiculous. Jurai has expanded across the universe. Earth is simply an independent colony with no influence on the rest."

"Is that so?" The captain stood just to the side of a view port looking down on the Earth. It was possible billions could die very soon, but the GP laws were set up for a reason and he could not go against them. Fighting with the Jurian fleet didn't sound any better though. "Prince Yosho does not agree."

"We are lord to all within our empire," Azusa insisted.

"Every being is a soul onto themselves. Violate that and life becomes worthless," he turned to stare at the planet and the pitiful defenses the GP could offer. "This is the universe as it exists."

Truth be told, while the Cold family had been a thorn in his side, Azusa had never given their activities much mind since Jurai was safe. Why could he not protecting this one planet as well? "We could mend the universe into one rule. When all planets exist under one nation there would be no more suffering such as this."

"A species exists because it chooses to live. Not because others would simply allow it," the captain intoned solemnly. Maintaining universal harmony was a tiring but necessary obligation of the GP. "You are not god here, Azusa."

"Do any of the Earth's natural inhabitants wish to see their own destruction?"

In response, the captain merely tapped the communication Washuu had sent many months ago. It came up with a picture of an Earthling, both angry and powerful. "Yes."

*~*~*

It had been a long day that turned into an even longer week. Hope had risen only to die after such a brief life. Without Ranko, nothing felt certain anymore. Such loss hadn't been felt even after Minako, but now everything had changed. The routine was off and it was effecting everybody.

Ryouga felt like collapsing that night after all of the sparring he'd done. Ranma and Akane were good training partners and while their powers had grown so did their friendship. Still, he felt some pain even they couldn't help him with. Looking for peace, he went to the backyard, or at least as far as his leash would allow. Hotaru was there, staring quietly towards the lake. "Hey, what are you doing out here so late, Hotaru?"

The young girl shifted to look at him over her shoulder. A small glint appeared in her eyes momentarily. "I . . . I was just feeling sad."

Ryouga nodded and sat down. "Yeah. Me, too."

"I wish Meiou-sensei was still with us. I don't know if we can do this without her."

Ryouga was startled when the girl put her head against his shoulder. "We will, Hotaru," he responded nervously. When nothing happened for a few minutes, Ryouga hesitantly put an arm around Hotaru's shoulders. "Ranma was right. Meiou-sensei taught us what we needed to know. We will beat these Saiyajins."

"How do you know that? We haven't even seen one yet." She gripped a piece of his shirt and pressed her face into his chest. Ryouga continued to awkwardly hold her, but he'd been getting used to it since the girl had claimed him.

It was funny. Ryouga used to pass out at the mere signs of a girl taking interest in him. Well, maybe it was because Hotaru was two years younger than him. He was nearing eighteen and she was sixteen so that wasn't bad. Maybe it was because he had two years just to get used to her company. More, Ryouga liked to believe it was because he had been with his new friends almost constantly for the past two years. Perhaps being around them helped desensitize his naivete about women. There was certainly a lot of bouncing flesh here at the shrine. Whatever it was, when Hotaru put her arms around his waist he did the same in return.

"I just know," he whispered calmly. He'd never felt so scared for someone else as he held onto the girl. "We have to."

"Ryouga-kun," Hotaru smiled shyly at him.

He was flustered by her smile. "What is it, Hotaru-chan?"

She pursed her lips for a moment then darted forward to peck him on the cheek. "I don't want you to leave me ever."

Though the moon, the stars, and Hotaru were his only witnesses, Ryouga made a pledge. Not even his sense of direction would prevent him from keeping it. "I promise. I'll always be here for you."

When the two kissed, Michiru put a hand on Haruka's side and pulled her away from the door. Hotaru would come to bed when she was ready. "Come on, Haruka-chan. They'll be fine."

Haruka frowned for a moment, thinking of her little girl, then nodded. She had to let Hotaru grow up sometime. HH

*~*~*

"Thank you, Sasami." Washuu took her tea from the young princess and returned to brooding at the table. With Ranko out of action, new strategies had to be worked out to fight the Saiyajins. It was not easy considering the amount of power they would be up against. She found herself spending more time with the others than alone in her lab because of it. One of her new friends sat down with her. "Are you alright, Cologne?"

Cologne's youthful and pretty face was stern as she watched the rest of the household. It was after dinner and most everyone was relaxing after another long day. "I'm fine. I'm just trying to think."

"About what?"

She sighed and dropped her chin into one hand. "I was trying to think of what Ranko would be doing to prepare everyone for what is to come."

"Unfortunately, even I cannot tell you that now," Washuu said, glancing speculatively at the purple-haired ex-Amazon. "You've been going down to the lab to see her often."

Cologne shifted uncomfortably before snorting in disgust. "I keep hoping."

There was precious little of that left. Washuu nodded. "I see."

Others were also busy in thought of the future. Some afraid that there may not even be one. Usagi had her arms around Mamoru sitting in the living room with her friends. For a while they talked about how to improve their magic attacks, but little could come of it. "I'm glad you're here, Mamo-chan."

The young man sighed and rested his cheek against her forehead. "I should have been here all along. I'm going to take off the rest of the semester."

Gasping, Usagi looked at him hopefully, though she tried to hide it. "Oh, no! You have to graduate at the end of the year!"

Mamoru shrugged, looking nonchalant. "I'll graduate during the summer after this mess is over with."

"So, you think we can win?"

He smiled charmingly. "I know you can. I believe in you, Usako."

From the hall more voices could be heard. Nodoka was dressed in her usual kimono and was fussing over her son's bow tie. It was making Ranma very uncomfortable. "You look very nice, Ranma. Go ahead."

"Thanks, mom," Ranma grinned wanly. The outfit felt a little over the top for him. What respectable fighter would be seen in a penguin outfit? Still, he swallowed his nervousness and stalked into the living room.

Everyone saw him immediately.

Ranma stopped like a deer caught in headlights, expecting someone to start laughing.

"Ranma?" Akane stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes went up and down his form several times while a light blush spread over her cheeks.

The boy pulled at his collar and walked in front of her. "Uh, Akane, I . . ." he couldn't believe how hard this was. It worked out much better in his head. "We've known each otherrrr forrrr a while, rrrright?"

Akane smiled, already seeing where this was going. "Yes, we have."

"Well, I was, uh . . ." He pulled at his collar again and the bow came partially undone. Akane wanted to giggle, but held it back. "I love you and all and . . . What I mean is . . ." He looked up when he heard her gasp. She was smiling at him and he felt his heart warm and the tension evaporate from his body. "Akane Tendou, will you marrrrry me?"

"R-Really?" Akane glanced at the ring he was putting on her finger and felt her heart flutter. "Ranma." She leaned down and kissed him, holding it for a long minute. When it was over, Ranma had a silly grin spread across his face. "What took you so long, baka?"

While everyone offered their congratulations, Washuu turned back to her friend and her smile faltered. "Cologne?" The young woman was scowling. "You're angry at them?"

Cologne turned away guiltily. "I don't know how they can plan ahead like this as if the battle were already won."

"They do so for the same reasons you go to see Ranko's body every morning," Washuu answered.

"You talk as if she were dead," Cologne snapped harshly.

Washuu shook her head. "She . . . cannot help us any more."

*~*~*

Ranko drifted. She knew it was a dream, but it felt real though she couldn't touch it. It was the clarity of everything that she noted most.

"What's happening to me?"

You are dying.

Rolling her eyes about, Ranko tried to identify the speaker. It was a soft, melodious voice poorly holding back a deep sadness. She focused on her body for a moment, but it had disappeared. "I don't feel any pain."

The voice sighed, definitely feminine.

You are killing yourself. You do not wish to feel pain.

"I am always in pain," Ranko muttered. "It hasn't stopped. Not since the first time."

Your mother.

"No." Ranko sneered but an image of an older redheaded woman appeared before her. "She is dead."

And yet she lives.

Ranko turned her head to avoid the picture and stare out into the vastness of her empty dream. "She never mattered." The image faded and only the swirling curls and flows remained, strangely close and far away. "Is this Death?"

This is where you are.

"Where am I?"

That, you must choose.

A group of fighters stood in a green yard running through various katas and repetitions. Her anger began to boil, tingling behind her ears. "This is the past." Imagining a pair of hedge clippers into her hands, Ranko reached out and cut. "Puppets on strings. They play on a stage with strings stretched to the Heavens. The mortal coil." Ranko mentally reached out and sliced through each of the silvery threads and watched the bouncing figures fall limply to the ground. Nothing stopped though. Fingers and legs twitched spasmodically. Their tears rang like little bells, falling from their cheeks. "Why is there no peace? I can still see them. They should have gone quiet."

There was no reply from the voice, but Ranko felt the disappointment. She deserved it.

*~*~*

Ranko's body was preserved in one of Washuu's stasis pods. All efforts to reverse the genetic experiment were thwarted by the new genes themselves. They seemed to have an immunity to tampering, almost a self-preservation instinct. And while they remained, Ranko's body was slowly failing.

Numerous visits were made by several of the fighters. Washuu supposed they wanted to believe that Ranko could in some way hear them and maybe their voices would bring her back. Washuu was a scientist though and had to be practical. She didn't expect Ranko to survive for much longer. Brain activity was minimal at best so even a full recovery could have dire side effects.

That was how Washuu had finally come to her decision. Without Ranko the chances of defeating the Saiyajins had fallen drastically. Even with Tenchi's mastery of the Light Hawk Wings, the group needed some serious power to catch up to Ranko's support. 

"Did you call for me, Washuu?"

The scientist turned away from the woman floating in the pod to stare at her daughter sadly. Tenchi was not leaving and therefore neither was Ryoko. Washuu wished things were different, but she had to be reasonable. "Yes, Ryoko, please sit down."

Cyan hair stood against the effects of gravity even as Ryoko flew about. She did so carefully while carrying the child in her arms. Jubei slept most of the time and cried the others. She was a strange mix of the parents though her make-up was mostly masu. The eyes were hazel and the hair was black and lie normally compared to Ryoko's. She was the best granddaughter Washuu had ever had really.

Taking a deep breath, Washuu pulled out the Tenchi-ken. Yosho had given it to her that morning at her request. 

"What are you doing with that?" Ryoko asked though she stared at the gems. 

"You know," Washuu answered. "They are going to need some serious help with Ranko gone now. Tenchi is strong, but only defensively. Those Sailor Scouts have a lot of power, but not the speed to make the most of it. Cologne has the most experience, but not the power. They need someone with a bit of everything." 

Ryoko was given a moment to let that all sink in. She knew that things were bad given the ease with which the first of the Saiyajins had arrived on the planet without a shot fired by Washuu. Her weapons had been finished and left on, but they had been unable to track the small space pod. There simply wasn't the resources on Earth necessary to make the proper defenses. The pods also had jamming equipment that threw off sensors. 

Hugging Jubei closely, Ryoko stared at the Tenchi-ken hard. After all of those years of teasing for being a space pirate were coming back to her. The monster woman who defied a galaxy was being asked to return to save it. She didn't know how Washuu could wield the Jurian weapon, but figured it fell under the category of super genius abilities. Instead she closed her eyes and waited for the gems.

They appeared in her wrists after a moment. Standing up, Ryoko passed Jubei over to Washuu. "Look out for her. I have to make sure I can still do this."

Washuu nodded. "Remember, those gems are at full strength after sitting in the Tenchiken for seven hundred years," Washuu warned. In a deeper sigh she continued, "You should have about two months. More than enough time, I think."

Ryoko nodded. Her face went hard when she looked at her child being cradled in her mother's arms. She left the lab and headed for the moon where she could let loose without hurting anyone.

*~*~*

Most of the time there was no trouble taking over a planet since their arrivals were unexpected. This time a good number of the GP force and a few Jurian cruisers were hanging in orbit around the Earth. Something important, moreso than the Cold family had first suspected, was taking residence on that planet.

While the main ship stayed back to observe the conflict, Vegita and Napa were leading a fighting force to the blockade. Saiyajins, warriors with power rushing through their veins, they held no fear for the impressive force presented to them. Only one of them had to make it onto the planet to be victorious in this campaign. 

Vegita scoffed at the enemy through his ships front display. "A pathetic effort by the GP. They cannot stop us." 

Napa grinned beside him, frightening many of the other unusual species present in the Cold Army.

Communications flared as they entered visual range of the Earth. "To the fleet approaching Terran space, be warned, you are wanted for crimes against the Empire of Jurai. Deactivate your weapons and prepare to return with us for processing."

"Open the flight decks," Vegita ordered the Kremian at tactical.

The green man nodded. "Fighters loose. They will engage in ten seconds."

Light blossomed before the ships as the fight was taken up. It would likely garner the attention of the planets inhabitants, but that didn't matter. Vegita already knew they had no offensive capability to worry about.

"What is so special about this puny planet?" Vegita glanced down at the data that had been screened from GP communication. Pictures of several Jurian royalty and two ex-A class criminals were listed. Neither were very important to Vegita at the moment. He wanted to find out about this Ranko Meiou. Her resistance had already proven interesting.

"Your orders, sir?"

"I want that planet under our control by the end of the day."

*~*~*

He stood just outside of his home, gazing intently towards the sky. Evil had arrived and many could feel its power rumble over the peace. 

A martial artist must know his limitations, so he remained where he was, with his family who would need him. If a fight of such epic proportions was brewing, then he had to be where he was most useful. Maybe if he were stronger he would be out there fighting this enemy.

Strength he would have gained had a young woman begun a search for seven powerful items that did not exist on this world. Items that would have been sought by powerful enemies that would push his limits to defeat. Seven balls that would have been created by a Namek had he ever left his planet to come to this place.

But Chance had not been on his side.

So Son Goku, a hidden Saiyajin, watched and prayed there would be others strong enough to face this menace.

"Goku?"

The young man looked over his shoulder to see his loving wife watching him curiously. "Huh? What is it Chichi?"

"Is something wrong?" she asked, having not felt the power in the distance.

Goku considered telling her, but he wanted his family to be happy. "Just a weird feeling I had. It's nothing."

"Okay." Chichi didn't leave immediately, but took a hold of her husband's arm and held it closely. She kissed him quietly, imparting her love and happiness before returning to her home. Inside she found their son still writing in his workbook. "How are your studies coming along, Gohan?"

The youngster looked up for a moment and flashed an innocent smile. "Fine, mom."

Nodding, Chichi returned to cooking dinner for her two men whom she was so proud of. "Such a handsome, little scholar."

And so chance had passed by what could have been the greatest of warriors. Rather than the hardship of combat he and his family had been graced with what others only dreamed of, a normal life.

*~*~*

Everyone in the temple was gathered in Washuu's laboratory, hoping anxiously that the defenders in space could hold back the Saiyajins. A green light went up when something arrived in the solar system and released hundreds of little fighters. It was a veritable swarm that attacked the combined GP and Jurian forces. The fighters gasped as dozens of icons started to blink out when they were destroyed.

"Oh boy! Here they come!" Washuu fretted with a few other panels and activated her own designed defenses.

Akane tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "That's a lot more than two Saiyajins."

Nodding distractedly, Washuu brought up a smaller display. "Hmm, I suspected we would be getting more trouble with the GP interference. Nothing the greatest scientific genius in the universe couldn't handle though!"

"What is that?" Tenchi asked as two seats appeared by the main monitor with two smaller screens showing up. They looked like they were looking at a profile of the Earth.

Washuu smirked and jumped into one of the seat, placing a fighter pilot helmet on her head and picking up a joystick. "Ever play video games?"

Sasami squealed in delight, jumping to the other seat. "Hey! Galaxy Destroyer! Can I play?"

Washuu grinned widely. "Sure, Sasami-chan."

". . ." The others stared at the two small women engaging the enemy. Ryouko was not surprised, having placed the remote laser cannons on the moon for her mother a few weeks ago. Shaking his head, Yosho started heading towards the inter-dimensional door. "We should get ready for whatever makes it through."

The others stared blankly then noticed a few enemy icons passing through Earth atmosphere.

"Don't forget the modified scouters. They should direct you to the biggest trouble spots," Washuu called out, mainly concentrating on destroying the enemy without hitting a friendly. It didn't help that the Cold family used small and very maneuverable craft.

"Right." Cologne found the tray of improved scouters by one of the workstations and handed them out to the rest of the fighters. The idea of war seemed to be really settling on their young faces and she hoped they would make it through this. "Are we ready?"

Sailor Moon nodded, working the scouter around her odangos. "Ready, Cologne-san."

The woman nodded grimly. "Remember to stay in groups and be careful."

"Right," they responded, determination building up in their eyes.

Yosho paused by the door to stare at his successor. "Tenchi."

The boy looked back and firmed his jaw. They would both fight in this war no matter how much they wished it was not so. Tenchi saw Ryouko take off with Ryo-oh-ki and smirked. "See you later, grandpa." They would win, somehow.

Yosho glanced once more to his home then took off with Sailor Jupiter to dispense some justice.

*~*~*

They cleared the atmosphere in a few moments and everything went dark all at once. Ryouko tried to settle her nerves then she was hit by the scope of the battle ahead. As a pirate she would have run from such things. Getting even a small hit could be dangerous for someone without a safe haven to rest up. Things were different now. She had a home, on the Earth. Tenchi was there, her baby, mother, and even friends. For the first time in her long life she had a place she belonged.

She would protect that to her dying breath.

"Miyah."

Ryouko smirked, knowing Ryo-oh-ki felt the same way. The ship twisted and rolled about the battlefield with great dexterity. The Cold Army was taking losses, but so were the Allied Forces. Ryouko worked the controls as swiftly as she could, but hard earned skill from her days as a pirate told her she was going to lose. Blue beams from the distance split a Cold fighter on her tail right in half. Ryouko whirled about to find the source. "What the hell is that?!"

"We're with you, Ryouko!" Sasami cheered over the speakers.

Washuu cackled, her skill with a laser turret actually quite impressive. "Let's get those bad guys!"

". . ." Ryouko blinked and let Ryo-oh-ki guide them to the next battle site.

"Miyah! Miyah!"

Smirking, she flexed her fingers and took a hold of the slave crystals again. "Right! Let's do it, Ryo-oh-ki!" The ship suddenly altered course ninety degrees, two Cold ships slamming into each other a second later. "Hahaha! You think you can get ex-space pirate Ryoko that easily?!"

Ryouko snarled, bearing down on another Cold fighter. Several blasts were needed just to penetrate a golden energy surrounding the ships. "Damn these things are tough. Stupid shielding."

Suddenly, Ryo-oh-ki shook and cried out in pain. "Miyah!"

"Woah. Washuu, we've got trouble," Ryouko cried, turning to see a several larger command ship cutting a path through the fight and towards the Earth.

"Hmm?" One of the cannons cut out as Washuu went to check what was wrong. "Looks like I'll have to pull out the big cannon."

"The big cannon?" Ryouko asked with a little worry.

Alarms went off all over Ryo-oh-ki's consoles. "Miyah-miyah!"

Ryouko stared at the screening showing off a large radius energy blast coming from the Earth. "Hey, watch it!" She veered off quickly, riding the energy current out of the way and then staring at the resulting explosion. ". . ."

"Got it!" Washuu cheered then paused. "Woops."

On the Earth, Nodoka stared at the enormous fusion cannon that had appeared from beneath the temple's yard, standing one hundred feet tall and twenty around. The blast had been like a tidal wave of energy, tanning the skin of any who witnessed it.

She slowly lifted her chin off of the ground and tried not to swoon into Noboyuki's arms. "That's 'all' you could do with Earth's resources?"

Washuu was too busy twitching at the sight of one of Jupiter's moons being turned into a new asteroid field to answer. 

*~*~*

It was horrible. Only minutes after arriving on the planet, soldiers from the Cold Army starting reducing most major cities in the world into rubble. Mercury and Jupiter cringed at the sight of bodies smashed beneath the rubble of buildings as they searched for the enemy.

Mercury had to fight her instincts to help the little boy crying over his mother's body as they roof-hopped to the nearest high energy reading. They couldn't waste time. The sooner this invading army was taken care of the fewer casualties they will have to deal with.

"This isn't how I thought it would be like."

Mercury turned to her friend and slowly nodded in agreement.

Jupiter cringed when she accidentally landed in a pool of blood. "Usually the bad guys show up and focus their attention on one thing or fight with us. This is . . ." she didn't know what to say, her face pale with revulsion for the mindless destruction of the city.

Mercury noticed they had come up on their target and looked over the edge of the roof briefly then pulled her head back. There were three soldiers down there. Each carried a powerful weapon that looked like a rifle but shot powerful streams of energy. 

"This is war," Jupiter finished with a shudder. The first few minutes of this made her realize how simple the Sailor Scouts' other battles had been. It was no longer them against the enemy, it was the world against a powerful invading army.

Mercury had her eyes closed for a moment as she steadied her nerves and pulled together a rapid fire version of her ice magic that Ranko-sensei had forced her to learn. "Ready?"

Struggling to contain a building rage, Jupiter clenched both of her hands, electricity sparking up and down her arms. "Let's kill the fuckers."

Both girls jumped to their feet and let loose with their attacks. The soldiers whirled about in surprise as the first man was turned into a block of ice. "Freeze Arrow!"

"Digu Volt!" Jupiter joined in a second later, watching her targets scream in pain, stonily.

Bystanders looked to them in thanks before rushing off for shelter. There were more soldiers out and about in the city still.

Nodding with satisfaction at the results of their attacks, Jupiter started looking for their next battle. 

"I wonder what the anime Meiou-sensei used to name our attacks was?" Mercury asked rhetorically. Jupiter shrugged and frowned at the number of targets her scouter was mapping out for her.

"I've found the Saiyajins. Hurry to my location."

Both girls blinked at the sound of Cologne's voice over the scouters. They trembled at the thought of fighting another Saiyajin, but knew it was necessary.

"On our way," Mercury responded with a tap on the side of her scouter. She nodded once to Jupiter and they took off with determination in their hearts.

*~*~*

Things were getting worse in space. Several places in the blockade had fallen to the Cold Army and dozens of ships were making it past them now. Ryouko grit her teeth as Ryo-oh-ki was hit once again. The ship shuddered and gave off a pitiful moan.

Whirling about she fired on the fighters and avoided another barrage. "Damn it. How many of these things are there?" Ryouko growled. It was like fighting off a swarm of angry bees.

"Miyah!"

Ryouko winced as a large portion of Ryo-oh-ki was destroyed. One of the bigger crystal spines was floating about, shattered in space. "Can you get us back to the temple, Ryo-oh-ki?"

This ship groaned and fell towards the Earth. "Miyah miyah."

"Ok, just try to hold on," Ryouko shuddered sympathetically. The cabbit sounded like a dying patient and she was entering the atmosphere with almost no control.

The ship's form began to fold back in on itself as it reached the ground. Ryouko had to phase out before she was crushed inside and then caught the weakly flailing cabbit as they continued to fall.

"Ryoko," Nodoka called out, rushing to the girl as she floated to the yard outside. 

The cyan-haired woman passed the cabbit over to the worried woman, looking very grim. "Ryo-oh-ki is hurt. I'm going to go help Tenchi."

Before she could respond, Ryouko had already disappeared. Nodoka looked to the softly mewling cabbit in her arms and her frown deepened. Ryo-oh-ki was supposed to be their escape if it became necessary.

She passed another girl while returning to the house. Nodoka was surprised to see a strange set of armor covering the young Jurian princess. 

Nobuyuki looked away from the live broadcast upon noticing it as well. "Where are you going, Miss Ayeka?"

Staring off towards the city, she responded, "I should go look after Tenchi as well, father."

"Are you sure that's wise, dear?" Nodoka asked gently. Ayeka was not a fighter like the others and she worried the girl would be badly hurt no matter how powerful her Jurian powers were.

"I won't leave such important matters to that hussy," Ayeka insisted. "Azaka! Kamidake! We're going."

The two logs appeared at her side, looking very nervous. As much as a log can look nervous anyway. "Oh my," Kamidake worried.

"Indeed," Azaka agreed.

The trio disappeared and Nodoka hoped things would be okay. She stared back at those left in the temple worriedly. Sasami was biting her lip and hugging Nobuyuki's arm while watching the television. Nodoka thought of turning it off, but couldn't help her own desire to watch the unfolding war.

The temple was suddenly rocked by the destruction of the large cannon up near the temple.

"Washuu!" Nodoka cried out fearfully.

The redhead was already exiting the dimensional door and tapping away at her light computer. "I've got it! Temple defenses, online."

A green field of energy sprang up around the home and numerous laser turrets came to life in the camouflage of the surrounding forest.

Nodoka stared at the scientist wondering how she had set up so many of the machines without her noticing. 

*~*~*

It was getting late in the day as Cologne waited for the others to find her. She was suppressing her power to remain hidden from the Saiyajins before her. They had landed in a large craft along with fifty other soldiers. There were creatures of all kinds, humanoid mostly, but the Saiyajins were the only ones that could have passed as humans were it not for the tails.

The two powerful creatures looked about the ruined part of the city they had landed in with contempt.

"Doesn't look so special," Napa scoffed, blasting away a few close by structures to prove his point. "Looks like a world of weaklings."

Vegita had to agree. He was hoping for a challenge at least, but his army was cutting through the world's defenses with ease. "Don't forget, there are some people here we are to capture."

"Yes, prince Vegita."

Several soldiers spoke with Vegita and went about setting up temporary bases while on the planet. Cologne kept her eyes on the two Saiyajins the whole time, remaining calm even as Ryouga and Ranma released the Umisenken behind her.

"Well?" Ranma asked, peering over the woman's shoulder. "Is that them?"

Cologne nodded. Her blood was boiling with anger just from the sight of them. They were the cause of all of their suffering. This world was falling apart with just their presence. She wondered briefly if her tribe had been spared at all or if the powerful auras of the other matriarchs had attracted these invaders.

"What are we waiting for?" Ryouga asked angrily. His fists smacked against each other, the ki focus gloves warming up already.

Cologne looked back to see Ranma's gloves also starting to glow and smacked both of the boys. "Not until the others are ready. I'm not taking any chances with these monsters." She tapped her scouter and looked to the rooftops. "Scouts?"

"We're here, Cologne-san," a voice replied. It was Mercury, her head peeking over the top of a far rooftop then sinking back out of sight. "We've taken first formation to your left. Tenchi and Hotaru have taken position fifty meters back."

Taking a deep breath, Cologne readied herself and indicated the two boys should do the same. "Alright. Let's finish this quick. Three seconds."

At those words Cologne and the boys disappeared from sight and the alley looked empty once again.

*~*~*

"Where the hell is she?" Napa demanded.

Vegita frowned and looked about the quiet area. People had either been killed or run off. As per his orders the entire area was empty so the two of them could have a good fight when Ranko would surely approach them. That is if she had any real skill.

"I want to destroy something," Napa continued to whine.

Scowling, Vegita muttered, "Remind me to up your Ridilin dosage when we're done here."

Vegita checked his scouter once again and came up with nothing. There were no powers in this blasted city even worth noticing as far as he could tell. A few powers in the West were already being dealt with, but even they were hardly comparable to the might of the Saiyajins.

"Maybe this Ranko got scared and soiled herself," laughed Napa.

Vegita was ready to add his own comment when a mist suddenly developed over the area. It grew thick and expanded a great distance quickly. "What the hell?"

"Strange weather," noted Napa absently.

It was getting difficult to even see each other. Vegita looked about and if it weren't for his ability to sense Napa's battle aura he wouldn't know where the bald ape was.

Napa, not as bright as Vegita, was totally lost in a few moments. "Vegita? Where are you? Come out, come out wherever you are!"

The mist was very thick and Napa could hardly see his own hand in front of his face. He was about to expand his aura and fly over the mist when something struck him.

"Ow!"

*~*~*

Ranma whizzed by, attacking with his Neko-ken claws and disappearing again just as quickly. Ryouga was not far behind with a vacuum blade aimed at the bald Siayajin's gut. Cologne was more warrior than the two boys and went for the softest parts of the body and hoped to at least break skin which the previous attacks had not.

"AUGH!" Napa screamed, clutching at his eyes while blood poured down his cheeks. They were pretty strong considering Cologne was trying to send the energy spikes into the alien's brain.

Vegita was very surprised to see people appearing and disappearing like wraiths and went onto the defensive quickly, pushing at the fog with his aura to open up an area to fight within. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Evil doer who would hurt innocent worlds-" Usagi began only to be smacked down by her compatriots. 

"Idiot!" Mars screeched and shot a quick blast of magical fire before leaping away from the rooftop with Moon in her arms. It was a good thing to as the building was destroyed a second later.

Napa was on the warpath, blind as he was, and firing off powerful blasts of ki in every which direction. A few headed straight for Vegita.

"Fool," Vegita growled, slapping the energy out of the way and knocking Napa over the head. He glared angrily at the surroundings which looked just as empty now as it did before. "That was smart, attacking us the way you did. You wouldn't have survived any other way. But now you will die for the failed attempt."

He waited a moment to see if anyone would respond. When nothing happened, he rose into the air to look down on everything and was met by eight magical blasts that he had no way of tracking with his scouter or through ki senses. Vegita cursed as he was jostled about, but still relatively unharmed.

Napa was still going wild and destroying anything he could. Dust clouds and the remaining fog made it difficult to distinguish anything.

"Dammit, Napa!" Vegita snapped. "Calm down and act like a warrior!"

The words had an effect on the bald man and he did as he was told.

Cologne cursed herself for not targeting the smaller Saiyajin first. She'd let herself believe the bigger was the stronger and just being taught by Ranko for the last two years should have told her how wrong that assumption was. 

Carefully tucked away in the umisenken, she spoke to the boys who would have followed her to the next alley. "We need to finish off the injured one quickly before we deal with the other."

Getting an affirmative, she readied herself for another pass.

*~*~*

Calmer, though injured, Napa was not as handicapped as Cologne would like to have believed. He felt his surroundings with more ki that the group of fighters had combined. He responded instantly when any of them had to step out of the umisenken to attack.

"Ranma!" Ryouga called out as the pigtailed boy was knocked through a few buildings. He was a moment later by a ki blast that carved a trench through the pavement.

By this time, Cologne had picked up on the danger and kept to her Umisenken and ordered the Senshi to step up their attacks.

Napa growled as things went silent again, even to his ki senses. Whatever technique these fighters used to hide themselves was very effective. He was then fried, electrocuted, frozen, blasted, air-dryed, soaked, and therapy kissed in quick succession.

*~*~*

"Shit!" Haruka growled. "He's still standing!"

The others were equally terrified and considering calling up Saturn to just annihilate this section of Japan if it meant destroying one of these bastards.

Screaming was a bad thing as Napa had been able to focus on it and lunge for it.

Haruka cried out in surprise again when she was forced to dodge fists and ki blasts at an insane rate of speed. Her training made it easier than it would have been, but even injured the Saiyajin was too much for Haruka to handle. A blast took her in the face and knocked her silly to the ground.

Napa grinned when she gagged at being picked up by the neck. "How can puny little shits like you be so strong?" he wondered aloud. Shrugging his shoulders, a ball of energy tore through the girl's chest and he started searching for his next victim.

*~*~*

Vegita had not been idle in this time either. While he could appreciate a good fight, having the only other Saiyajin in existence suddenly go blind soured him to any fair play.

Some of the fighters were hard to find, but the Scouts stuck out like a cross-dresser caught in the girl's locker room. "Cheerleaders?" he asked, somewhat upset at being taken by surprise by such an undignified enemy.

Scowling at the continued magical assault, he started blasting away at the buildings the Scouts stood upon. Those that screamed were picked out by Napa.

He snorted at the girls being tossed about the area. He wasn't even trying yet. Destroying these annoyances should be easy.

"Fall back!" someone screamed and the Scouts started moving away from the fight.

Vegita wasn't about to allow that though.

*~*~*

After the first try, things just went from bad to worse. Haruka had died as easily as Venus in the first encounter with the Saiyajins. The Scouts' magical defenses weren't much compared to the power in those ki blasts. 

Cologne cursed as Napa zeroed in on another Scout. "Fall back!" she screamed and dropped the Umisenken. She had to give the Saiyajins a new target.

"That bastarrrrd is dead!" Ranma snarled as he pulled himself out of the last wall. Ryouga was making his way back to the fight as well, the Bakusai Tenketsu training having done its job.

Cologne nodded. Retreating now wouldn't do them any good, especially if they can repair the little damage Cologne had been able to inflict. They had to get rid of the bald Saiyajin now. "Keep an eye out for the small one, but focus on the big one."

"Right," Ryouga nodded quickly and started powering up. 

They would need power to kill Napa and the Umisenken would strip them of that. The three of them rushed towards the alien from one direction while Yosho and Akane appeared out of another alleyway.

All of their efforts were focused on destroying Napa, but they were not going to have an easy time of it.

*~*~*

Overhead, Vegita was following the fleeing girls and enjoying himself. "Don't run," he taunted, "we're just getting started!"

One of the girls stumbled as they barely dodged another of his blasts. She was almost killed by the follow up, but jumped out of the way just in time.

Preparing another volley, Vegita was suddenly attacked from behind and knocked through a small office building.

"You shouldn't pick on them," Ryouko smirked haughtily, "they're heroes and all that."

Vegita shoved aside a good amount of rubble to stare at the woman floating in the air above him. "And who are you?"

"Me?" Her smirk became sinister, "I used to destroy planets." A very large ball of red energy formed in her hands.

*~*~*

No longer bothering to maintain the Umisenken, Cologne, Ranma, and Ryouga started to beat on the large Saiyajin in earnest. They hoped to somehow finish him quickly and help the others.

Napa screamed angrily as he launched blast after blast all about him. "You little shits! I'll skin you alive and use your hides for boots! I take dumps bigger than you!"

"Colorful," Cologne muttered, "isn't he?"

Ryouga snorted and pulled at his being for more power. He was glowing with pure energy like he'd been taught, but the corona was tinged green hinting at his anger and depression. "We have to take him down!"

Cologne was right behind the boy as he used a powerful kick that brought a vacuum blade behind it. Her hands were cupped at her side and pushed forward with a purplish blast. "Ha!"

Napa grunted when the blasts hit, but quickly turned in that direction with golden blasts.

On the other side, Akane was building up her largest blast, red power flowing about her body before she released it all at once. "Die!"

"HAHAHA!" Napa turned around again, sightlessly seeking out the girl. "That tickled! C'mon, hit me with another one!"

Yosho had moved in silently and didn't let his sword flare until the last second. "Take this." The blue blade of energy was thrust towards Napa's chest, aimed for the heart, but the big Saiyajin turned to the side just as the blade touched his skin. 

"That hurt," the man snarled and released a bigger ki blast right at his feet. 

Caught in the way, Yosho flew backwards and hit a bit of standing rubble that collapsed under his weight.

Before Napa could take advantage of this he was attacked from behind by a large cat, scratching deep gouges into his back.

Ranma jumped back quickly as Napa turned and sprinted around to another side. "He's getting weakerrr!"

"Keep at it!" Cologne called back and then released another blast. It was definitely having an effect now as Napa was nearly knocked off of his feet. Unfortunately, she was also starting to feel weak

Breathing deeply and covering his head with his arms, Napa grunted at another blast and scowled deeply. "I won't die to a bunch of pansies like you!" He chose one of the powers surrounding him and followed it with a roar. "Die!"

"Shit!" Ryouga gasped as last ki blast hit the man in the face and only burned away the large mustache. A big, meaty hand captured his head and drove it into the ground several inches. He tried to reach up and grab the wrist, but Napa continued to push his head into the ground making Ryouga feel faint.

Cologne was their a moment later and laced her fist with as much ki as she could muster and uppercut the Saiyajin in the face. She grunted with effort and was rewarded with the sight of the large man flipping backwards through the air.

Flying up to meet him, Ranma came down with claws extended, only to see the man open his mouth and release a blast of power into his chest. Ranma gasped as he was knocked through the sky.

"NO!" Akane saw Napa's strength and knew the blast must have torn through Ranma's chest the way it did poor Haruka. With a scream of pure anger, she rushed in with a flaming mallet and dropped Napa into the ground head first. He tried to fly off, but she connected with his chin before he got anywhere and sent him back down.

"Dammit!" Napa growled and blasted at the area in front of him randomly. "When we're done here, I'm going to keep you little bitches for myself just so I can laugh in your face when I fuck you to death!"

"No." Akane slammed her mallet onto his head. "You!" She buried him a foot into the ground and reached back to hit him again. "WON'T!"

The pressure of the hit kicked up a dust cloud quickly blown away by the wind. The sound of Akane's mallet splintering was followed a moment later by a cracking sound and Akane's body flying through the air limply.

Ryouga's breath caught in his throat when he saw her land by Ranma's body. The boy was coming to, but there was a serious burn mark on his chest. He stared at the area blankly then at the body moaning at his feet. Akane's chest looked to be in-caved almost. "Akane?"

She moaned painfully in response.

He moved sluggishly to peer down on her and stare at the red tracks rolling out of her mouth and nose. "What?"

An eye opened slightly and Akane grinned. "Thought you were . . ."

"I'm-" Ranma suddenly realized what he was looking at and his eyes started to glow red.

"Is the little bitch still alive?" Napa taunted. "I'll bet that really hurts."

Ranma slowly stood up and flexed his hands. Red claws sprang out of his fingertips and he started to run.

"Well?" Napa sensed the building energy and smirked, taking up a defensive stance. "Try it, pussy."

Growling deeply in his chest, Ranma went to all fours and his aura built up all around his body like a black flame. The pigtailed boy dodged to the side of a few blasts and then cut up under Napa's fists. Without a strong protective aura, Ranma's claws were able to dig deeply into the Saiyajin's chest and lacerate several vital organs. This was not enough for the Neko-ken however and Ranma attached his teeth at the man's throat and ripped at it viciously. He didn't mind the scream or even the gurgling that followed. Ranma continued to rip into his opponent with unbridled rage, tearing and ripping with sharp claws, skinning with teeth that glinted even in a dark pit, hungrily diving in to the man's flesh again and again. Not sated, not full, not-

"RANMA!" Ryouga struck the pigtailed boy across the jaw and watched him bounce over the gravel. He was covered in blood, dripping down his jaw and hands. It had been one of the most horrible things Ryouga had ever seen and wondered what had happened to his friend to cause such a thing. It was like his mind had been replaced by a vicious beast. "He's dead, Ranma. We've got to go help the others."

Ranma coughed, blood splattering the ground beneath him, as sanity slowly seeped back into his brain. "Son of a . . . Akane! Wherrre's Akane? Is she alrrright?"

Grabbing an arm, Ryouga helped his friend stumble towards the girl and found Cologne and Yosho looking her over. Cologne grimaced and pressed a few shiatsu points to deaden some of the pain. "He broke her sternum and I think some of the bone must have punctured something important."

Ranma stared at her with growing fear. "Can you do anything for her?"

Cologne shook her head. "We have to get her to a hospital, but-"

"I'll do it," Ranma jumped down quickly, but Yosho held him off.

"Picking her up could be dangerous, Ranma," the man explained.

"We can't just leave her here," Ranma snapped.

"We won't," Yosho assured the boy. "We need to get Saturn or Moon. They both have healing powers."

"He's right, Ranma. Vegita was led off towards Tenchi," said Ryouga, pulling the boy back. "We have to hurry."

Nodding, Yosho picked up his blade again and kneeled beside the girl. "I will watch over her while you three go. I can do that much at least after that last hit."

Taking a look at the shivering Akane, Ranma nodded back and dashed off for the next fight. Ryouga followed quickly. Cologne took a moment to examine the growing red spot on the priest's clothes before turning away grimly. "We'll be back."

Yosho grinned and held Akane's hand comfortingly. "We'll be waiting."

*~*~*

Tenchi couldn't think of a worse way for this fight to be going. The Sailor Scouts, with their strength increased as it was, were not enough to even slow down a powerhouse like Vegita. All they had to do was divide the two Saiyajins and keep them occupied until the stronger force destroyed one of them. It should have been simple with their advantage of numbers.

Ryouko teleported to a new position and let loose with another barrage of gem-powered blasts. "Die you pathetic worm! No one can withstand the might of Ryouko! Piss yourself now and pray to your impotent god in the last moments of your waning life!"

Tenchi was starting to wonder about her.

"What do we do?" one of the Scouts asked while they huddled behind Tenchi's Light Hawk shield. "We can't compete with that kind of power."

Moon agreed heartily and said they should try hiding out in an ice cream store.

"No!" Jupiter growled fiercely. "We have to win. We can't let them get away with all the people they killed. Haruka and Minako, we have to avenge their deaths!"

Michiru stared at the patriot blandly. "I loved Haruka, but going out there and getting myself killed isn't going to avenge her. We can continue to distract that bastard with pot shots, but Meiou-sensei was right. We are only good for covering retreats. Hell, even a lot of those soldiers are powerful enough to withstand us."

"They will destroy this world if they keep going like this," Hotaru noted. "I could do that and take these Saiyajins with us."

Moon watched the little girl nervously as did many of the others. "No, there has to be something we can do. We'll just wait for the others to catch up to us. Ryouko could probably hold Vegita off for a little while."

Up above, Ryouko was blasted several meters into the ground then flew upwards to meet her opponent again. If it weren't for the power in her three gems she would not have survived even the fall. And she still couldn't phase through living objects no matter how much she'd rather avoid the Saiyajins incredible speed.

"Maybe he'll wear down," Tenchi muttered hopefully.

Jupiter released another lightning blast when Vegita held still for a second and missed again. "Dammit. If we could just hold him still I would fry his nuts off."

Floating about in the air, Ryouko was thinking about the same thing. This fight had been going on for too long. While she theoretically could go on for as long as there was power within her gems, her frustration was starting to make her sloppy. "Stand still dammit!"

"Yes, please do."

Vegita twisted about as he heard the new voice right behind him. Those cowardly girls in skirts would not dare come so close to him. Ryouko was no danger to him either accept she wielded more power than he, but had not the speed to catch him. The new girl, however, had brought friends.

"Azaka! Kamidaki!" Ayeka ordered, standing a ways off. The two wooden pillars beside her flashed out of existence to reappear on either side of Vegita. He tried to get away, but Ryouko had jumped on this opportunity and let loose with as much gem-power as she could pull out at once.

Vegita screamed from within the energy prison that had been used to hold Ryouko so long ago.

"Hohohohoho! That will teach you, you galactic trash!" Ayeka chortled into her kimono's sleeve.

"Alright, princess!" Ryouko cheered. She put her hands together to pull together a lot more power than Vegita would be able to handle. "Just hold him for a second and he'll be dust in the wind!"

"Don't think I did this for you, Ryouko," Ayeka snorted, "I only care about protecting my Lord Tenchi. Obviously, you are not fit for such a task as you left him and even your child on this planet to be slaughtered. It hardly befits a woman who would call themselves his wife, even a demon like you!"

Ryouko grit her teeth, but remained concentrated on building her power. She saw Vegita glaring at her and began to worry when his aura started to expand.

"Ayeka," Tenchi complained, "this isn't the time for that. Ryouko stayed because I wouldn't abandon this world."

"But neither did I, Tenchi, and I was able to protect you far better than this trollop!"

"Oh, shut up, Ayeka!" Ryouko snapped. "Tenchi doesn't want to marry you because you're a snobbish, whiny-voiced, brat who throws tantrums anytime things don't go your way! And you're his aunt!"

The Sailor Scouts blinked at that and Tenchi felt his face redden with embarrassment. Even Vegita looked slightly disgusted.

"Every other creature in the universe knows better than commit incest except you Jurians and we've all seen how well that's turned out."

Flushed with anger, Ayeka glared at the monster. "And what do you mean by that?!"

"I mean," spit was flying out of Ryouko's mouth as she finally tore into the princess the way she wanted to, "that the only, slightly normal person in your immediate family is Sasami and it's probably because she's got a deity living inside of her!"

For a moment, Tenchi thought about coming to Ayeka's defense, but then images of the obtuse Azusa and hyperactive Misaki entered his head. Ryouko only thought of Yosho as abnormal since he lived like a pervert up in his shrine, but he was, thankfully, a child of a Jurian and Earthling, Funaho. Tenchi chose not to speak.

"Why, you!" Ayeka had a vein on her forehead that looked about ready to burst. "Die, monster woman!"

Vegita watched the fight incredulously. It was like the two women had forgotten about him entirely. He was even about to make his dramatic escape. Sighing deeply, he looked at the now ineffective guardians and incinerated them with his aura. "Whatever."

While Ryouko was occupied, Vegita rushed forward and grabbed at her wrists. With his feet planted on her chest, he pulled backwards and tore the limbs off of her body. The gems would be useful if he could learn to harness their power for himself.

Ryouko cried out in shock at suddenly having most of her power stripped away. It was very painful on several levels. "No, you can't!" She thought of Washuu's warning.

"Can't I?" Vegita smirked. He went to grab the gems and his smile faltered. "What the hell?"

Not even stopping to look, Ryouko whirled about and dove for Tenchi's shield. He let her through a second before her gems' failsafe was activated.

There was a bright, white light.

*~*~*

From space, the Jurians and GP officers could see a large portion of Japan suddenly obliterated turning the making the main island almost crescent shaped.

*~*~*

The ground was still settling by the time Ryouga was coming to. Warm water was dripping down onto his face.

"Dammit," Ryouga growled upon waking up. There was pain burning along his back and he'd hit his head fairly hard.

"Arrre you alrrright, Rrryouga?"

"Peachy," he muttered back. Ryouga looked about and found Ranma sitting a few feet over, resting against a damp wall and holding his side with a grimace. They were in a sewer, but he couldn't remember how they had gotten there. "What the hell happened?"

Ranma shook his head. "I don't know. But it looks like we barrrely surrrvived thanks to you."

Ryouga blinked and looked up at the ceiling Ranma indicated. The stone looked like it had been melted over, sealing them in the tunnel. "Damn. Didn't even notice that." He stood up to touch the rock and quickly pulled his hand back. "It's hot!"

Whatever did this had to be powerful. Ryouga remembered seeing the blast now and the area it must have covered. A sick feeling hit his stomach when he recalled the direction the blast had come from.

"The otherrrs," said Ranma worriedly. He must have just come to the same realization.

Ryouga's mouth back a tense line. "I'm sure they're fine."

"But that blast was-"

"Hotaru's fine!" Ryouga snapped. He was too worried to blush and tried to think.

Ranma winced at the tone. "I-I didn't mean-"

Cutting him off with a wave, Ryouga started looking around, finding the other end of the tunnel on his third try. "We survived and they had Tenchi's Light Hawk, right?"

"Rrright," Ranma said slowly. The Light Hawk was supposed to be very powerful and Ranko did say it could withstand anything a Saiyajin could throw at it. The thought made him feel a little better. "And Yosho could do something similarrr with the Tenchiken."

"Exactly," Ryouga nodded in agreement. He couldn't believe he was the level-headed one this time. Maybe he was just so used to being depressed and imagining the worst. "We just have to get out of here and go find them."

Grunting, Ranma used the wall to pick himself up, holding his side carefully. "Is Cologne down herrre?"

"Dammit." There goes his good mood. Ryouga hadn't seen the woman and knew he hadn't been able to grab her when the blast approached them. She would have been up top during the blast. "Let's go."

For a while they walked. Neither of them was really thinking about going anywhere, but the physical activity gave them something to think about. This battle had not gone at all like they had expected. This was a war. Both boys shuddered now that they could examine what happened during the initial encounter with the Saiyajins. One of their fighters had died so easily it was terrifying. 

Ranma thought of the blast again as he looked at the rock overhead. "Would could have caused it?" He hoped it wasn't the Saiyajin.

Muttering to himself, Ryouga reached a ladder leading to a manhole and decided to test it. "It's cooler over here."

"Let's go up then," Ranma nodded and passed the fanged boy quickly. He had to make sure others had gotten away.

Ranma paused when he reached the top. He simply stood there, looking about in numb shock.

"Ranma, get out of the way!" Ryouga snapped. When nothing happened he became worried and tried to push his way past. "What is it?" The world had gone to hell. Everywhere they looked Ryouga saw burning rubble and scorched earth. "All of this destruction."

Something else had caught Ranma's eyes. He stood, staring at a charred body, and couldn't even tell if it had been male or female. "I feel sick."

Stone faced, Ryouga gave Ranma time to throw up and try to compose himself. He felt like doing the same, but he was more interested in getting back to the others and finding a way to fix this mess. "C'mon, let's get back to the temple. I'm sure everyone's waiting for us."

It was hard to look at this world like a familiar place. Ranma and Ryouga had both roamed the land for a long time, but the changes wrought by the battle so far had turned it into an alien landscape. How could this be the world they grew up in?

The crater was vast, several miles in diameter, and only the edges looked as though they were cooling off. Steam was rising further back, in the center, where the ocean was starting to fill in the missing pieces.

Ranko had been powerful when she found them. The boys didn't understand exactly how powerful until just then. Things like this must have been common in her time and for her to have survived it . . . Ranma did not know how he would have turned out.

Ryouga tried to keep his mind optimistic, as strange as that was. He had to believe that there would be some way to get through this. He'd made a promise to Hotaru. Ryouga would stay with her and protect her. Now he had to find her again.

Trying to find some piece he recognized, Ranma found himself staring at a sign, half swinging on a chain. "Does this place seem familiarrr to you?"

Ryouga looked up and had to agree. There was a large home here with the remains of a dojo. This was where he had followed Ranko Meiou to the first time they had returned to Japan! "That's Akane's house."

"We should check on them." Ranma wanted to smile, but then became wary as he entered the blasted area. There were obvious signs of a fight here. Still, he crept towards the front door and knocked lightly. "Hello, Tendou-san?"

Ryouga followed the pigtailed boy in. He suppressed a shudder thinking of the family that had once lived here. "I don't see anyone. Maybe they took off when the fighting started."

Ranma wasn't ready to give up yet and looked about the living room. He didn't have to go far as he found a section of the wall collapsed over two bodies. One of them was Tendou-san while the other was a gentle-faced man Ranma had never seen before. "Those bastarrrds," Ranma snarled, looking at the drying pool of blood. "Rrryouga, look around forrr the sisterrrs."

The boy had just come into the room after checking the upstairs and his face had gone quite pale. "Ranma, I-"

"What is it?" 

Ryouga lifted the torn strips of clothing he'd found in his hand. "I found these."

Ranko-sensei's horror filled stories returned to him and he thought of pens with hundreds of people corralled within them. "Those sick," Ranma started to hiss as he clenched his fists and turned to a wall, "twisted," snarling, he pulled back and put his hand through the nearest solid object, "perrrverrrts!"

Ryouga was about to say something when he heard feet running in their direction. He hoped it was survivors, but the voices sounded alien.

"I heard someone."

The front door was knocked aside as a green man with a pulled back cranium wedged his way through the entrance. "Maybe the last girl in the picture," his tongue waggled lecherously. "We'd have a complete set!"

Ryouga was ready to sneak past the soldiers as weak as he felt. Dying now wouldn't do the girls any good. Ranma had other ideas as his rage gave him just enough strength to stalk the two beings.

"You'll die," Ranma growled coldly. He didn't even have enough ki to form his claws so he'd rip the two creatures apart with his bare hands.

The second man, a red skin insectoid that stood on two legs, turned to smirk at him. "Oh, and who are you, little boy?"

Ranma didn't waste time with responding. He quickly jumped the first soldier and stripped him of his rifle and shot it off in the creature's face. The other had been so startled that Ranma was able to rush forward and place the muzzle in his mouth just so he could glare straight into it's eyes. When he was done, Ranma tossed the rifle aside and walked angrily out of the home. "Let's go."

Sighing, Ryouga followed his friend and wondered where he'd seen such an animalistic expression before. But for now, they had to return to see who survived that blast and then kill the one responsible for turning their world into hell.

*~*~*

Not far from the center of the blast crater, a pile of rubble slowly shifted as the ocean began to rush inland. Vegita was slowly working his way free, his armor barely hanging off of his body. He was a mangled wreck with large open wounds and several broken bones. 

He spat a mouthful of blood into the water and reached into his left glove hopefully. A small vial of green liquid had somehow survived his last fight. Popping the stopper off with his thumb, Vegita poured the foul solution down his throat and waited for his body to heal.

The water had already risen above his head, but the stone slab sitting on his leg prevented him from floating along with the water. To his great relief the healing liquid worked quickly and he was able to swim up to the surface.

"Those brats," Vegita bobbed in the water for a moment and looked about the area. Those gems had obviously been a trap. He would make them pay for that.

Glowing softly, Vegita raised himself out of the water and floated above it. "No more, Mr. Nice Saiyajin. You won't catch me like this twice, you little vermin. You aren't strong enough to survive!"

A blast like that, it would have killed him if he had not been powered up already. Getting through the Jurian force field had only fazed him for a moment, but it was easily knocked aside by someone of his power level. Vegita kept it up in order to catch the ex-pirate before she could teleport again, but that ended up being useless.

The group was good; he admitted that considering he could not find Napa's power signature anywhere. No one else had been able to deal with a Saiyajin like that before. Though he was a prince and not an ordinary Saiyajin warrior. Still, they were too weak to be of any real use. Those girls whose powers did not even register on his scouter might be useful if they had stronger attacks, but Vegita was certain he'd been hit with everything they had. If that was so then he would have to continue with his training and fulfill his orders.

"Sir?"

Vegita landed near the area his ship had landed and glared at the saluting soldier. "Look for Jurian power. I want those weaklings found now."

"Yes, sir!" The fanged beast rushed off in a hurry. Saiyajin's were known to be violent when they were feeling temperamental. Of course, they were violent when they were happy too.

Walking around helped Vegita work out some of the kinks in his body. He headed into his vessel to find some new armor. Feeling the comfortable fit, Vegita raised his hand and felt a resurgence in his spirit. "Well, I feel my strength returning. Perhaps I should thank them for making things so amusing. This extra power should do just fine."

"Sir!" The same soldier returned and gave him a sharp salute. "We've found them! Prince Yosho and several other fighters are hiding out in the mountains. It looks like a training ground."

It was as Vegita expected. This was probably a special group of fighters trained just for them. "Let's not keep them waiting then." Vegita smirked as he felt the engines of the ship begin to warm up and then the whole craft begin to ascend. He left for the bridge to observe the end of this little war.

Breathing slowly and deeply, Cologne ignored her own pain while following the Saiyajin. "Yes, your destiny awaits," Cologne muttered darkly. She had to believe the others survived that blast or destroying Vegita would be a great deal more difficult.

*~*~*

Though ignored at first, the temple's luck wasn't bound to hold out for long. As the hours went by the invading army slowly spread throughout the city and finally reached the base of the Misaki shrine's mountain.

Thankfully, Washuu was ready for this too.

"Nah-nah! Can't hit me with your little guns!" The redhead taunted from the edge of the force field she had designed herself. A defensive net was now coming to life all around the temple grounds and blasting at any trespassers. Washuu bent over and mooned the soldiers on the other side. "Nobody defeats the great Washuu!"

Hidden within the trees, Mamoru sweat-dropped. "Is she trying to piss them off?"

Shampoo and Mousse were busy trying to ignore the display the redhead was making. It was a good distraction while they attacked the soldiers from behind. Mamoru followed a moment later, his magic making up for whatever skill the Amazons possessed. It was their job to help protect the temple as well as help their fellow fighters make it back into the area safely. He wanted to be out there with them just so he could protect Usagi. Instead he had to trust in the others like Tenchi, who was powerful enough to not be a liability. Mamoru trusted the other fighters after spending some time with them. He knew they had the spirits of heroes just like the Sailor Scouts.

The smirking redhead strutted away from the shield to find an anxious group of people huddled in the living room. She didn't know what to say to put them at ease so she just smiled as if everything were going her way. The ear piece of her scouter came to life and she heard Yosho's pained yet calm voice. "Washuu, we're back."

A sigh of elation escaped her lips when Washuu heard him. "Oh good. The others will follow you in. I will meet you in the lab." 

"Right."

The signal ended and Washuu waited by the alternate dimensional door she had place at one of the far ends of the temple grounds. Entering her lab she watched the door open and told the computer to prepare to help the injured.

Mamoru and the Amazons were assisting the group through the door eager to hear how things went. Shampoo grimaced while holding up Sailor Neptune who had a broken ankle. "Aiyah, sister-warriors look bad."

It was true. Each of the fighters looked tired and sore. The Scout's magic helped their recovery, but it was still slow going with the injuries they had sustained. Yosho was walking in with an injured side, but he still half-carried Akane through the door. Washuu could see the young Sailor Saturn lying exhausted in Sailor Jupiter's arms, likely after healing one of the more injured fighters.

Getting through the door, the Hidden Weapon's master rushed to Akane's side to help. "Give me your arm."

"Thanks, Mousse," Akane smiled in appreciation. Saturn's powers had healed much of her chest, but it still hurt to breath and things were very fuzzy.

Washuu had a few tables ready and a few medical pods for anyone with serious injuries. Thankfully those wouldn't be needed as Washuu's equipment would be enough to fix some broken bones and lacerated tissue. "What happened?"

Tenchi smirked as he held Ryouko over his back while she recovered from power shock. "Ryouko's gems exploded. I think they might have taken out Vegita."

Raising an eyebrow, the scientist headed over to her sensor table and shook her head. "Sorry. I've been monitoring power levels. He's still out there."

Akane hissed and pounded the table she rested on with her fists. "All of that for nothing."

"What about the other one?" Usagi asked hopefully.

"Gone," Yosho answered. Washuu confirmed it with a smile.

Mamoru and the Amazons cheered. They'd been told by Ranko that even killing one of them had been impossible in her time. "Is good, yes?"

Other fighters tried to look encouraged, but were too weary. Hotaru cried in her sleep before a shudder ran through her body. Neptune watched the girl with concern. "Saturn?"

"She'll be okay now," Washuu assured the girl as a comfortable bed floated into place. Hotaru curled about one of the pillows fearfully.

Others looked on while Washuu's machines helped them with their injuries and grimaced. Things were not going well even if they had been able to take down Napa. The Earth was falling quicker than they expected and winning now may not change anything especially with the losses they had already suffered.

"Any word from Cologne, Ranma, or Ryouga?"

Washuu stared at Akane for a moment and noticed that the three should have been with Akane and Yosho. "Nothing, but they may just be too weak to register on my sensors. There is still a bit of residual energy from the explosion. It could be masking their power."

Another long silence hung over the group as they considered what might have happened. That blast had been very big. Yosho, as far away as he had been, had only been able to partially shield Akane and himself. The Scouts had Tenchi to guard them, but no one had been there for Ranma, Ryouga, or Cologne. They were resourceful though. They had to have found a way to survive.

Sensors suddenly went off and Washuu cursed when she found the temple shields were starting to fail.

"Can't we get a break!" Mars screamed angrily. She and several others were heading to the dimensional door and headed for the Masaki living room.

The scouters started up as soon as they were outside of the lab. Yosho grimaced. "Something powerful is coming this way."

"Vegita," Ryouko growled. She found her daughter wailing in Nodoka's arms and feared the girl would be in danger.

Everyone noticed the energy barrier starting to flicker, especially Washuu with her light computer.

"Oh boy."

Yosho's sword came to life in a panic. "Tenchi!"

"I've got it," the boy responded with a deep breath. The Light Hawk Wings bent to his will and created a dome within the failing force field. It was just in time as Cold Army soldiers rushed in, only to bounce off of the new, blue barrier.

Already a strain could be seen building on the young boy's face. Yosho stared grimly at the forces waiting to kill them. "You won't be able to keep that up forever."

"Then you better hurry up and think of something," said Tenchi.

Outside a large ship settled onto the ground and twenty more soldiers filed out along with a very arrogant Saiyajin. They would leave in Ryo-oh-ki except she was still injured and would be picked off the second she took her ship form.

"Tsunami!" Sasami suddenly piped up. "I could ask for her help!"

Washuu shook her head. "No, Sasami. You heard what happened the last time. Your body is too young to handle Tsunami's power for long."

"But Washuu-san, I only need to do it for a second. Long enough to fix what's wrong with Meiou-sensei and then she can get rid of the Cold army!" Sasami pleaded.

Washuu did not like this and let it carry into her tone. "Sasami."

The young girl looked sadly at Tenchi when he shuddered. Vegita had started to add to the assault on the Light Hawk Wings. Ready for whatever fate awaited her, Sasami rushed for the closet. Washuu jerked in surprise and raced after her along with a few others. They didn't get very far as the two girls were already backing out of the room in shock.

Nodoka noticed the panicked looks and rushed to the young girl's side. "Sasami-chan? What is it?" The girl's lip trembled and she turned to put her bury her face against her auntie. Nodoka looked perplexed. "Washuu-chan?"

"Ranko," the scientist could barely get the word out. "She's gone."

The ground quaked and Tenchi fell to the ground breathing raggedly. Others looked out the doors to see the fallout of what must have been a truly powerful blast. The army had even pulled out a great distance. They could see Vegita's glowing form flying directly for them.

Sailor Moon shrieked and jumped into Mamoru's arms. "What was that?!" 

"Tenchi!" Ryouga cried and picked up the boy's head and put him in her lap. She was ready to ask for some help when they disappeared in a column of light. The room was shocked when Yosho, Washuu, and Sasami disappeared at the same time.

Jupiter could feel her heart beating a hundred times a second as she whirled about for an attacker. "W-What's going on?! Where did they go?!"

Mousse was at the closet door immediately when blasts started going off around the home. "Quick! Everyone into the lab!"

Vegita smirked as he landed at the door. Sailor Mars was the closest and let loose with a dozen quick blasts to guard their retreat. Moon was at the door then stopped to stand with her friend. A second later Vegita had put his hand through the magical girl's chest and chortled at the look of despair in the blonde's face.

"Mars!" Moon cried out. She was caught by Mamoru before she rush out. 

"Run, Sailor Moon!"

Shampoo was the last to enter the lab and sat down heavily beside Mousse when the door sealed itself. The world was no longer shaking, but with her nerves as jumpy as they were it was hard to tell. Mousse held her hand tenderly and this time she did not pull away. "We'll be okay in here for a little while."

*~*~*

Lying within the swirling mass of time, the endless possibilities of the future, a very lonely place to spend millennia, Sailor Pluto looked upon the Time Gates with a critical eye. There was destruction all around the world. The Scouts and the fighters Ranko had gathered were not enough to deal with it all. She had been expecting only two fighters to arrive. Maybe if that were still true then they would have won. Considering how things could have gone, the Scouts and the fighters did very well in taking Napa down so quickly.

The futures ahead of them were bleak, but many of them would not last long. Some were weeks of fighting, others were only days. One, the strand Pluto was trying to achieve, would only last several more hours. But even in that amount of time the Cold Army would have made its mark on the Earth. Millions of people will die, governments will topple, and the world could very well fall into chaos.

She watched her fellow Sailor Scouts make a stand in the temple and felt regret. This is the way it must go though. They had reached the pivotal point in her machinations where Crystal Tokyo would be assured or lost completely.

But she had the card that would change the game in her favor. The Saiyajins would die and the Scouts would be proclaimed heroes. The tides of time would flow about her hand.

Smiling lightly, Pluto looked back on the medical pod set up in her castle on Pluto. Inside, Ranko was resting, waiting for the time when her beloved Setsunna would bring her back to the world. With a wave of her staff, Pluto could speed up time for the redhead and allow her recovery to happen sooner. 

"Very soon, all will be as I planned it," Pluto's chilled whisper cooed to the unconscious fighter.

End Chapter Four

***

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Ja ne.


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